A Renewed Focus on GDF11 Level Fluctuation in Human Serum in Relation to Physical Examination Indicators

Growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily. Previous studies have shown that GDF11 decreases with age and has antiaging effects; however, such reports are controversial. We choose 152 subjects covering a large age range (2 hours to 75 years) to measure serum GDF11. Twenty-two hematological variables and 13 biochemical values were measured. Pearson's analysis found a significant correlation between GDF11 and age (p = .0000, r = .4898), as well as serum creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet volume distribution width. GDF11 negatively correlated with aspartate transaminase, white blood cell count, platelet count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count, mean platelet volume, and plateletcrit. Interestingly, we found GDF11 increases in people aged 20-30 years, holds steady in people aged 30-50 years, and increases in people older than 50 years. The results suggest that GDF11 serves different roles along the life span. The current actual evidence supports that GDF11 is helpful to promote aging.