Total and H-specific GDF-15 levels increase in caloric deprivation independently of leptin in humans

Pavlina Chrysafi, Laura Valenzuela-Vallejo, Konstantinos Stefanakis, Theodoros Kelesidis, Margery A. Connelly and Christos S. Mantzoros ()
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Pavlina Chrysafi: Harvard Medical School
Laura Valenzuela-Vallejo: Harvard Medical School
Konstantinos Stefanakis: Harvard Medical School
Theodoros Kelesidis: UCLA
Margery A. Connelly: Labcorp
Christos S. Mantzoros: Harvard Medical School

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Mitochondrial-secreted growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) promotes weight loss in animals. Its effects in humans remain unclear, due to limited research and potential measurement interference from the H202D-variant. Our post-hoc analysis investigates total (irrespective of genetic variants) and H-specific GDF-15 (detected only in H202D-variant absence) in humans under acute and chronic energy deprivation, examining GDF-15 interaction with leptin (energy homeostasis regulator) and GDF-15 biologic activity modulation by the H202D-variant. Total and H-specific GDF-15 increased with acute starvation, and total GDF-15 increased with chronic energy deprivation, compared with healthy subjects and regardless of leptin repletion. Baseline GDF-15 positively correlated with triglyceride-rich particles and lipoproteins. During acute metabolic stress, GDF-15 associations with metabolites/lipids appeared to differ in subjects with the H202D-variant. Our findings suggest GDF-15 increases with energy deprivation in humans, questioning its proposed weight loss and suggesting its function as a mitokine, reflecting or mediating metabolic stress response.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49366-y

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