Fibroblast growth factor 10 ( FGF10 ) is a multifunctional mesenchymal-epithelial signaling growth factor that is essential for multi-organ development and tissue homeostasis in adults. Furthermore, FGF10 mutations and dysregulation are associated with human genetic diseases and certain forms of cancer.

(Data source: AlphaFold)

FGF10 is composed of 208 amino acids and is a secreted extracellular protein. Its main functional domain is the 38-208 segment, which includes two N-type glycosylation modifications.

(Data source: Uniprot)

FGF10's effects begin during gastrulation, participating in the formation of the embryonic lacrimal and salivary glands by regulating progenitor cell numbers and stimulating glandular growth. In adults, FGF10 maintains glandular homeostasis and/or regeneration. FGF10, primarily using heparan sulfate (HPSG) as a cofactor, specifically activates FGFR2b in a paracrine manner, thereby activating intracellular signaling pathways that induce mitotic responses, promote cell motility, or promote cell survival.

(Data source: Itoh N. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2016)

Pathogenic variants and disorders of FGF10 involve congenital diseases of the respiratory system, lacrimal glands, and salivary glands , non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, myopia , etc.

(Data source: Katarzyna B , et al. PeerJ. 2022)

In a mouse acute myocardial infarction model, injection of FGF10 coacervate can effectively reduce myocardial inflammation and fibrosis, increase the proliferation of endothelial cells and wall cells to improve the stability of small arteries and capillaries, and inhibit cardiac contractility and ventricular dilation.

(Data source: Wang Z, et al. Bioact Mater. 2020)

At the same time, another literature report further confirmed that FGF10 promotes cardiac injury repair through a dual cellular mechanism of increasing myocardial cell renewal and inhibiting fibrosis.

(Data source: Hubert F, et al. Cardiovasc Res. 2022)

In addition, FGF10 can protect and promote lung epithelial regeneration after different types of lung injury. The main mechanism is that FGF10-Wnt7b epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk ensures the maintenance of stemness and quiescence during homeostasis and basal stem cell (BSC) recruitment to further promote regeneration in response to injury.

(Data source: Yuan T, et al. Front Genet. 2018)

In a mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a lung disease that develops in premature infants and is characterized by impaired alveolar development and reduced FGF10 expression, administration of recombinant FGF10 protein induced neoalveolar development.

(Data from Taghizadeh S, et al. Stem Cells. 2022)

Including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)（a devastating interstitial lung disease), therapeutic administration of FGF10 can also activate the mobilization of alveolar progenitor cells in mouse models of fibrotic injury, showing strong preventive or therapeutic efficacy against lung fibrosis.

(Data source: Lv YQ, et al. Cells. 2022)

FGF10 is also involved in other glandular tissues, but current research is still focused on the repair regulation related to heart and lung diseases, and most experiments use recombinant FGF10 protein administration.