Biochemistry and Biology of GDF11 and Myostatin: Similarities, Differences, and Questions for Future Investigation

Circ Res. 2016 Apr 1;118(7):1125-41; discussion 1142. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.308391.

Abstract

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) and myostatin (or GDF8) are closely related members of the transforming growth factor β superfamily and are often perceived to serve similar or overlapping roles. Yet, despite commonalities in protein sequence, receptor utilization and signaling, accumulating evidence suggests that these 2 ligands can have distinct functions in many situations. GDF11 is essential for mammalian development and has been suggested to regulate aging of multiple tissues, whereas myostatin is a well-described negative regulator of postnatal skeletal and cardiac muscle mass and modulates metabolic processes. In this review, we discuss the biochemical regulation of GDF11 and myostatin and their functions in the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. We also highlight recent clinical findings with respect to a potential role for GDF11 and/or myostatin in humans with heart disease. Finally, we address key outstanding questions related to GDF11 and myostatin dynamics and signaling during development, growth, and aging.

Keywords: heart disease; ligands; muscle; myocardium.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aging / physiology
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / chemistry
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / deficiency
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / physiology*
  • Brain / growth & development
  • Brain / physiology
  • Dimerization
  • Female
  • Follistatin / metabolism
  • Follistatin-Related Proteins / metabolism
  • Growth Differentiation Factors / chemistry
  • Growth Differentiation Factors / deficiency
  • Growth Differentiation Factors / physiology*
  • Growth Differentiation Factors / therapeutic use
  • Heart / physiology
  • Heart Diseases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscles / physiology
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Myostatin / chemistry
  • Myostatin / deficiency
  • Myostatin / physiology*
  • Organ Specificity
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Signal Transduction
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
  • FST protein, human
  • Follistatin
  • Follistatin-Related Proteins
  • Fstl3 protein, human
  • GDF11 protein, human
  • Gdf11 protein, mouse
  • Gdf11 protein, rat
  • Growth Differentiation Factors
  • MSTN protein, human
  • Mstn protein, mouse
  • Myostatin