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GDF15, an emerging key player in human aging.

Maria Conte1, Cristina Giuliani2, Antonio Chiariello3

  • 1Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre "Alma Mater Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change (Alma Climate)", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

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Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is a key aging factor, showing protective benefits but potentially becoming detrimental in old age. This review explores GDF15

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Stress Response

Background:

  • Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is a stress-related protein increasingly recognized for its role in aging.
  • GDF15 levels significantly increase with age and are linked to various age-related diseases (ARDs).
  • Paradoxically, GDF15 exhibits protective functions in tissues under stress and during aging, despite its association with ARDs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of GDF15 biology in the context of aging.
  • To explore the dual role of GDF15, potentially shifting from beneficial to detrimental with age.
  • To propose GDF15 as a mediator within a dormancy program related to life history theory.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing existing research on GDF15 and aging.
  • Analysis of data linking GDF15 levels to age-related diseases and stress responses.
  • Theoretical framework proposing GDF15's role in dormancy and defense mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • GDF15 is a pleiotropic factor with context-dependent effects.
  • While protective in acute stress, chronically elevated GDF15 may contribute to detrimental aging processes.
  • GDF15's function may be integrated into a broader biological strategy for managing stress and promoting survival.

Conclusions:

  • GDF15's role in aging is complex, exhibiting both protective and potentially harmful effects.
  • The detrimental impact of GDF15 may manifest during chronic elevation in old age.
  • GDF15 is proposed as a mediator of defense and dormancy processes, aligning with life history theory.