title: Growth differentiation factor 15 in cardiovascular diseases: from bench to bedside.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a novel cytokine showing close association with cardiovascular diseases. The biological mechanism and clinical use of GDF-15 in cardiovascular diseases have been well demonstrated. We review recent investigations from both basic research and clinical trials into the biological role of GDF-15.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were obtained mainly from MedLine via PubMed and from our own investigations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laboratory investigations revealed that GDF-15 has biphasic effects on cellular survival by several signaling pathways. GDF-15 participates in several cardiovascular pathological processes such as cardiac remodeling, ischemia/reperfusion injury and atherosclerotic plaque formation. As well, GDF-15 was found a prognostic biomarker of heart failure and acute coronary syndrome. The evidence for diagnostic or therapeutic utility is poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GDF-15 has great potential as a biomarker in cardiovascular diseases, especially for prognosis, and is seen as a myocardial protective cytokine, but the exact mechanism of GDF-15 in cardiovascular diseases remains unknown.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory peptides, Ministry of Health (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing , P.R. China.
authors: Xinye
authors: X
authors: Xu
authors: Zijian
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Gao
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D001634:Bibliographies as Topic; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015996:Survival Rate; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15