Anatomy & Cell Biology, Department of Molecular Embryology, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 17, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2013 Aug;24(4):373-84. doi: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2013.05.003. Epub 2013 Jun 18.
GDF-15 (also MIC-1, NAG-1, PLAB, PTGFB) is a member of the TGF-β superfamily, which is widely distributed in mammalian tissues and has been shown to play multiple roles in various pathologies, including inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. GDF-15 serum levels are a highly reliable predictor of disease progression. Both the anti-tumorigenic potential of GDF-15 and its capacity to promote metastasis have been documented for a large variety of cancers, yet its opposing functions, which are typical for members of the TGF-β superfamily, have only partly been resolved on the molecular level. Knowledge on physiological functions in the non-diseased organism is scarce. In the nervous system GDF-15 knockout analyses have revealed that GDF-15 is essential for the postnatal maintenance of various neuron populations. When applied exogenously GDF-15 is a powerful factor for promoting survival of developing and lesioned neurons in vitro and in vivo. Receptor activation by GDF-15 has only been partially resolved.
生长分化因子 15（也称为 MIC-1、NAG-1、PLAB、PTGFB）是转化生长因子-β超家族的成员，广泛分布于哺乳动物组织中，已被证明在多种病理学中发挥多种作用，包括炎症、癌症、心血管疾病和肥胖症。GDF-15 的血清水平是疾病进展的高度可靠预测指标。大量研究表明，GDF-15 具有抗肿瘤潜能，并能促进转移，但其作为 TGF-β 超家族成员的相反功能仅在分子水平上部分得到解决。关于非疾病状态下生物体的生理功能的知识还很缺乏。在神经系统中，GDF-15 基因敲除分析表明，GDF-15 对于各种神经元群体的出生后维持是必需的。当外源性应用时，GDF-15 是体外和体内促进发育和损伤神经元存活的有力因素。GDF-15 的受体激活仅部分得到解决。
