Fig. 7: FGF21 may not be the sole mechanism underlying vitamin C-mediated thermogenesis.

To test whether FGF21 is the mechanism underlying vitamin C-mediated thermogenesis, chow diet-fed male WT, FGF21-KO, and FGF21-KO mice supplemented with vitamin C (n = 4–5/group) were exposed to an acute cold condition (6 °C for 5 h), and the mRNA expression levels of genes related to thermogenesis were measured in the sWAT by qPCR. mRNA expression levels of a Pgc1α, b Ucp1, and c Cd137. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM. #P < 0.05 vs. WT mice.