BACKGROUND Growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 is a distant and divergent member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily (TGF-β) . There is growing evidence indicating the involvement of GDF-15 in various pathologies. Expression of GDF-15 is induced under conditions of inflammation and increased GDF-15 serum levels are suggested as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. METHODS...

The majority of advanced prostate cancers metastasis to the bone. Mediators of bone remodelling, the bone morphogenetic proteins have extensively been implicated in the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer. The present study investigated the function of BMP member GDF-9, in prostate cancer. We overexpressed GDF9 in PC-3 cells using a mammalian expression construct, and knocked-down wit...

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) has been implicated in ischemic brain injury and synapse development, but its involvement in modulating neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of GDF-15 on non-evoked miniature excitatory post-synaptic currents (mEPSCs) and neurotransmitter release in the medial prefrontal cor...

Genetic distributed fuzzy (GDF) controllers are proposed for multi-part-type production line. These production systems can produce more than one part type. For these systems, “production rate” and “priority of production” for each part type is determined by production controllers. The GDF controllers have already been applied to single-parttype production systems. The methodology is illustrated...

The ovary contains a pool of primordial follicles containing oocytes arrested in meiosis that are the source of developing follicles for the female. Growth and differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) is a member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily of growth factors, and follicles of GDF-9 knockout mice arrest in the primary stage of development. The effect of GDF-9 treatment on the prim...

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and growth and differentiation factor (GDF)-5 stimulate the healing of medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. However, the effect of isolated and combined use of bFGF/GDF-5 remains still unclear. We investigated cellular proliferation and migration responding to bFGF/GDF-5 using rabbit MCL fibroblasts. Rabbit MCL injury was treated by bFGF and/or GDF-5 wi...

Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8) is found in the human serum, follicular fluid and granulosa cells. Our previous studies have shown that the human cumulus expansion and steroidogenesis can be regulated by GDF-8. However, thus far, the expression profile of GDF-8 in serum and whether the level of serum GDF-8 influences pregnancy results for patients treated with in vitro fertilization/int...

Data from the Women’s Health Study show that serum levels of growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a distant member of the transforming growth factorsuperfamily, are an independent risk indicator for adverse cardiovascular events. However, the cellular sources, upstream regulators, and functional effects of GDF-15 in the cardiovascular system have not been elucidated. We have identified GD...

BACKGROUND Loss of muscle mass is a co-morbidity common to a range of chronic diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several systemic features of COPD including increased inflammatory signalling, oxidative stress, and hypoxia are known to increase the expression of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a protein associated with muscle wasting in other diseases. We...

BACKGROUND Growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is emerging as a prognostic biomarker in patients with coronary artery disease. Little is known about GDF-15 as a biomarker in patients with heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS The circulating concentration of GDF-15 was measured at baseline (n=1734) and at 12 months (n=1517) in patients randomized in the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-H...