GDF15 is part of the TGF-Beta superfamily that is involved in regulating inflammatory and apoptotic pathways in injured tissues and throughout disease processes. GDF15 is most abundant in the liver. Its expression in liver can be considerably up-regulated in during injury of organs such as liver, kidney, heart and lung. GDF-15 promotes proliferation or growth arrest and differentiation due to differences in cellular differentiation. GDF15 prevents apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons by activating Akt and inhibiting endogenously active ERK. GDF15 is a novel autocrine/endocrine factor that antagonizes the hypertrophic response and loss of ventricular performance Synonyms: GDF-15, MIC1, MIC-1, NAG-1, PDF, PLAB, PTGFB, Growth/differentiation factor 15, Placental bone morphogenetic protein, Placental TGF-beta, Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1, Prostate differentiation factor, NSAID-activated gene 1 protein, NSAID-regulated gene 1 protein, NRG-1, GDF15