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Description

Growth/differentiation factor 15 (UniProt: Q99988, also known as GDF-15, Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1, MIC-1, NSAID-activated gene 1 protein, NAG-1, NSAID-regulated gene 1 protein, NRG-1, Placental TGF-beta, Placental bone morphogenetic protein, and Prostate differentiation factor) is encoded by the GDF15 (also known as MIC1, PDF, PLAB, PTGFB) gene (Gene ID: 9518) in human. NAG-1 is a member of the TGF-beta super family, however, it does not display strong homology to existing families. NAG-1 is synthesized as a 308-amino acid pro-NAG-1 monomer and then dimerizes by a specific disulfide linkage. The pro-NAG-1 dimer is then cleaved by furin-like proteases at an RXXR site, forming a 112 amino acid C-terminal dimeric protein and pro-peptide. It is expressed in placenta and is found in lower levels in prostate, kidney, and colon. Its expression is significantly increased during inflammation, injury, and malignancy. Increase of NAG-1 expression is a feature of many cancers including breast, colon, pancreas and prostate. NAG-1 expression is also shown to increase following exposure to a number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Induced expression of NAG-1 is shown to result in stimulation of apoptosis and inhibition of cell growth.