Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in youth with overweight or obesity

OBJECTIVE: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) has been associated with food intake and weight regulation in response to metabolic stress. In animal models, it has been noted that it may play a role in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the leading cause of chronic liver disease in children. DESIGN: In the current study, we explored the association of circulating plasma concentrations of GDF15 with NAFLD in youth with overweight/obesity, and whether changes in plasma concentrations in GDF15 parallel the changes in intrahepatic fat content (HFF%) over time. METHODS: Plasma GDF15 concentrations were measured by ELISA in 175 youth with overweight/obesity who underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess intrahepatic, visceral, and subcutaneous fat. Baseline fasting GDF15 concentrations were measured in twenty-two overweight/obese youth who progressed (n = 11) or regressed (n = 11) in HFF% by more than 30% of original over a 2-year period. RESULTS: Youth with NAFLD had significantly higher plasma concentrations of GDF15 than those without NAFLD, independent of age, sex, ethnicity, BMI z-score (BMIz), and visceral fat (P = 0.002). During the OGTT, there was a decline in plasma GDF15 concentrations from 0 to 60 min, but GDF15 concentrations returned to basal levels by the end of the study. There was a statistically significant association between change in HFF% and change in GDF15 (P = 0.008; r(2) = 0.288) over ~2 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that plasma GDF15 concentrations change with change in intrahepatic fat content in youth with overweight/obesity and may serve as a biomarker for NAFLD in children.