Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a peptide hormone, and a divergent member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) superfamily. In normal physiology, GDF15 is expressed in multiple tissues at a low concentration. GDF15 is overexpressed during and following many pathological conditions such as tissue injury and inflammation in order to play a protective role. However, GDF15 appears to promote tumour growth in the later stages of malignant cancer. The recently identified endogenous receptor for GDF15, GDNF family receptor a-like (GFRAL), has allowed elucidation of a physiological pathway in which GDF15 regulates energy homeostasis and body weight, primarily via appetite suppression. The anorectic effect of GDF15 provides some therapeutic potential in management of cancer-related anorexia/cachexia and obesity. Despite the identification of GFRAL as a GDF15 receptor, there appears to be other signalling mechanisms utilized by GDF15 that further increase the possibility of development of therapeutic treatments, should these pathways be fully characterized. In this review, GDF15 function in both physiological and pathological conditions in various tissues will be discussed.

生长分化因子 15 (GDF15) 是一种肽激素，是转化生长因子 β (TGFβ) 超家族的不同成员。在正常生理中，GDF15 以低浓度在多个组织中表达。GDF15在组织损伤和炎症等多种病理状态期间和之后过度表达以发挥保护作用。然而，GDF15 似乎促进了恶性肿瘤晚期的肿瘤生长。最近发现的 GDF15 内源性受体，GDNF 家族受体 a 样 (GFRAL)，已经阐明了 GDF15 主要通过抑制食欲来调节能量稳态和体重的生理途径。GDF15 的厌食作用为治疗与癌症相关的厌食/恶病质和肥胖症提供了一些治疗潜力。尽管将 GFRAL 鉴定为 GDF15 受体，但 GDF15 似乎还利用其他信号传导机制，如果这些途径​​得到充分表征，将进一步增加治疗性治疗的可能性。在这篇综述中，将讨论 GDF15 在各种组织的生理和病理条件下的功能。