ABSTRACT
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a stress-induced transforming growth factor-ß superfamily cytokine with versatile functions in human health. Elevated GDF-15 blood levels associate with multiple pathological conditions, and are currently extensively explored for diagnosis, and as a means to monitor disease progression and evaluate therapeutic responses. This review analyzes GDF-15 in human conditions specifically focusing on its association with muscle manifestations of sarcopenia, mitochondrial myopathy, and autoimmune and viral myositis. The use of GDF-15 as a widely applicable health biomarker to monitor muscle disease is discussed, and its potential as a therapeutic target is explored.
Subject(s)
Growth Differentiation Factor 15 , Muscle, Skeletal , Humans , Biomarkers , Cytokines/metabolism , Growth Differentiation Factor 15/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/pathology , Transforming Growth Factor betaABSTRACT
Due to the significant influence of COVID-19 pandemic on dental education in the recent past, interactive educational strategies were explored to engage students. Case-based seminars (CBS) were proposed on masticatory muscle disorders (MMDs) for post-graduate dental students through integration of pathophysiology with its etiology, diagnosis, and management. Effectiveness of CBS was done at Kirkpatrick's level 1 and level 2 hierarchy with a pre-test and a post-test. CBS enhanced learning outcomes of post-graduate students in understanding MMDs. Thus, this report could serve as a useful model for other dental schools in prosthodontic post-graduate curriculum.