Growth differentiation factor-3 (GDF3), also known as Vg-related gene 2 (Vgr-2) is protein that in humans is encoded by the GDF3gene.[1] GDF3 belongs to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily. It has high similarity to other TGF-β superfamily members including Vg1 (found in frogs) and GDF1.[1]
GDF3 is a bi-functional protein that has some intrinsic activity and also modulate other TGF-β superfamily members, e.g. potentiates the activity of NODAL. It may also inhibit other TGF-β superfamily members (i.e. BMPs), thus regulating the balance between different modes of TGF-beta signaling.[4] It has been shown to negatively and positively control differentiation of embryonic stem cells in mice and humans.[5] This molecule plays a role in mesoderm and definitive endoderm formation during the pre-gastrulation stages of development.[2]
References
↑ 1.01.1Caricasole AA, van Schaik RH, Zeinstra LM, Wierikx CD, van Gurp RJ, van den Pol M, Looijenga LH, Oosterhuis JW, Pera MF, Ward A, de Bruijn D, Kramer P, de Jong FH, van den Eijnden-van Raaij AJ (January 1998). "Human growth-differentiation factor 3 (hGDF3): developmental regulation in human teratocarcinoma cell lines and expression in primary testicular germ cell tumours". Oncogene. 16 (1): 95–103. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1201515. PMID9467948.
↑ 2.02.1Chen C, Ware SM, Sato A, Houston-Hawkins DE, Habas R, Matzuk MM, Shen MM, Brown CW (January 2006). "The Vg1-related protein Gdf3 acts in a Nodal signaling pathway in the pre-gastrulation mouse embryo". Development. 133 (2): 319–29. doi:10.1242/dev.02210. PMID16368929.
↑Hexige S, Guo J, Ma L, Sun Y, Liu X, Ma L, Yan X, Li Z, Yu L (December 2005). "Expression pattern of growth/differentiation factor 3 in human and murine cerebral cortex, hippocampus as well as cerebellum". Neurosci. Lett. 389 (2): 83–7. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2005.06.071. PMID16126341.
↑Levine A, Brivanlou A (2006). "GDF3 at the crossroads of TGF-beta signaling". Cell Cycle. 5 (10): 1069–73. doi:10.4161/cc.5.10.2771. PMID16721050.
↑Levine A, Brivanlou A (2006). "GDF3, a BMP inhibitor, regulates cell fate in stem cells and early embryos". Development. 133 (2): 209–16. doi:10.1242/dev.02192. PMID16339188.
Further reading
Davila S, Froeling FE, Tan A, et al. (2010). "New genetic associations detected in a host response study to hepatitis B vaccine". Genes Immun. 11 (3): 232–8. doi:10.1038/gene.2010.1. PMID20237496.
McPherron AC, Lee SJ (1993). "GDF-3 and GDF-9: two new members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily containing a novel pattern of cysteines". J. Biol. Chem. 268 (5): 3444–9. PMID8429021.
Levine AJ, Brivanlou AH (2006). "GDF3, a BMP inhibitor, regulates cell fate in stem cells and early embryos". Development. 133 (2): 209–16. doi:10.1242/dev.02192. PMID16339188.
Ye M, Berry-Wynne KM, Asai-Coakwell M, et al. (2010). "Mutation of the bone morphogenetic protein GDF3 causes ocular and skeletal anomalies". Hum. Mol. Genet. 19 (2): 287–98. doi:10.1093/hmg/ddp496. PMID19864492.
Gopalan A, Dhall D, Olgac S, et al. (2009). "Testicular mixed germ cell tumors: a morphological and immunohistochemical study using stem cell markers, OCT3/4, SOX2 and GDF3, with emphasis on morphologically difficult-to-classify areas". Mod. Pathol. 22 (8): 1066–74. doi:10.1038/modpathol.2009.66. PMID19396148.
Levine AJ, Levine ZJ, Brivanlou AH (2009). "GDF3 is a BMP inhibitor that can activate Nodal signaling only at very high doses". Dev. Biol. 325 (1): 43–8. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.09.006. PMID18823971.
