By Dr Vicky Wang-Wei Tsai

Journal articles

Breit SN; Tsai VW, 2025, 'Metabolic Messenger: growth differentiation factor 15', Nature Metabolism, 7, pp. 1732 - 1744, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42255-025-01353-3

Breit SN; Brown DA; Tsai VWW, 2024, 'GDF15 research from bench to bedside', Cancer Cell, 42, pp. 1823 - 1824, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2024.10.002

Isik FI; Thomson S; Cueto JF; Spathos J; Breit SN; Tsai VWW; Brown DA; Finney CA, 2024, 'A systematic review of the neuroprotective role and biomarker potential of GDF15 in neurodegeneration', Frontiers in Immunology, 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1514518

Breit SN; Manandhar R; Zhang HP; Lee-Ng M; Brown DA; Tsai VWW, 2023, 'GDF15 enhances body weight and adiposity reduction in obese mice by leveraging the leptin pathway', Cell Metabolism, 35, pp. 1341 - 1355.e3, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2023.06.009

Thai LM; O'Reilly L; Reibe-Pal S; Sue N; Holliday H; Small L; Schmitz-Peiffer C; Dhenni R; Wang-Wei Tsai V; Norris N; Yau B; Zhang X; Lee K; Yan C; Shi YC; Kebede MA; Brink R; Cooney GJ; Irvine KM; Breit SN; Phan TG; Swarbrick A; Biden TJ, 2023, 'β-cell function is regulated by metabolic and epigenetic programming of islet-associated macrophages, involving Axl, Mertk, and TGFβ receptor signaling', Iscience, 26, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.106477

Breit SN; Brown DA; Tsai VWW, 2023, 'GDF15 analogs as obesity therapeutics', Cell Metabolism, 35, pp. 227 - 228, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2023.01.002

Breit SN; Brown DA; Tsai VWW, 2021, 'The GDF15-GFRAL Pathway in Health and Metabolic Disease: Friend or Foe?', Annual Review of Physiology, 83, pp. 127 - 151, http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physiol-022020-045449

Husaini Y; Tsai VWW; Manandhar R; Zhang HP; Lee-Ng KKM; Lebhar H; Marquis CP; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2020, 'Growth differentiation factor-15 slows the growth of murine prostate cancer by stimulating tumor immunity', Plos One, 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233846

Tsai VWW; Zhang HP; Manandhar R; Schofield P; Christ D; Lee-Ng KKM; Lebhar H; Marquis CP; Husaini Y; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2019, 'GDF15 mediates adiposity resistance through actions on GFRAL neurons in the hindbrain AP/NTS', International Journal of Obesity, 43, pp. 2370 - 2380, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41366-019-0365-5

Tsai VWW; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2018, 'Targeting the divergent TGFb superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 for therapy of anorexia/ cachexia syndromes', Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, 12, pp. 404 - 409, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/SPC.0000000000000384

Tsai VWW; Husaini Y; Sainsbury A; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2018, 'The MIC-1/GDF15-GFRAL Pathway in Energy Homeostasis: Implications for Obesity, Cachexia, and Other Associated Diseases', Cell Metabolism, 28, pp. 353 - 368, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.07.018

Tsai VW; Zhang HP; Manandhar R; Lee-Ng KKM; Lebhar H; Marquis CP; Husaini Y; Sainsbury A; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2018, 'Treatment with the TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 reduces the adiposity and corrects the metabolic dysfunction of mice with diet-induced obesity', International Journal of Obesity, 42, pp. 561 - 571, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2017.258

Breit SN; Tsai VWW; Brown DA, 2017, 'Targeting Obesity and Cachexia: Identification of the GFRAL Receptor–MIC-1/GDF15 Pathway', Trends in Molecular Medicine, 23, pp. 1065 - 1067, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2017.10.005

Danta M; Barber DA; Zhang HP; Lee-Ng M; Baumgart SWL; Tsai VWW; Husaini Y; Saxena M; Marquis CP; Errington W; Kerr S; Breit SN; Brown DA, 2017, 'Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1/growth differentiation factor-15 as a predictor of colonic neoplasia', Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 46, pp. 347 - 354, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apt.14156

Low JK; Ambikairajah A; Shang K; Brown DA; Tsai VWW; Breit SN; Karl T, 2017, 'First behavioural characterisation of a knockout mouse model for the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily cytokine, MIC-1/GDF15', Plos One, 12, pp. e0168416, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168416

Salao K; Jiang L; Li H; Tsai VWW; Husaini Y; Curmi PMG; Brown LJ; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2016, 'CLIC1 regulates dendritic cell antigen processing and presentation by modulating phagosome acidification and proteolysis', Biology Open, 5, pp. 620 - 630, http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/bio.018119

Tsai VWW; Lin S; Brown DA; Salis A; Breit SN, 2016, 'Anorexia-cachexia and obesity treatment may be two sides of the same coin: Role of the TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15', International Journal of Obesity, 40, pp. 193 - 197, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2015.242

Tsai VW-W; Macia L; Feinle-Bisset C; Manandhar R; Astrup A; Raben A; Lorenzen JK; Schmidt PT; Wiklund F; Pedersen NL; Campbell L; Kriketos A; Xu A; Zhou P; Jia W; Curmi PMG; Angstmann CN; Lee-Ng KKM; Zhang HP; Marquis CP; Husaini Y; Beglinger C; Lin S; Herzog H; Brown DA; Sainsbury A; Breit SN, 2015, 'Serum Levels of Human MIC-1/GDF15 Vary in a Diurnal Pattern, Do Not Display a Profile Suggestive of a Satiety Factor and Are Related to BMI', PLOS ONE, 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133362

Husaini Y; Lockwood GP; Nguyen TV; Tsai VWW; Mohammad MG; Russell PJ; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2015, 'Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15) gene deletion promotes cancer growth in TRAMP prostate cancer prone mice', Plos One, 10, pp. e0115189, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115189

Baracos V; Muscaritoli M; Aversa Z; Fanelli FR; Loumaye A; de Barsy M; Nachit M; Frateur L; Lause P; Van Maanen A; Thissen J; Awasthi R; Gillis C; Liberman S; Stein B; Charlebois P; Carli F; Ahmad ; Chiche D; Kazemi-Bajestani SMR; Becher H; Venner P; North S; Vickie B; Li Y-P; Zhang G; Ma J; Hall D; Patel D; Robinson S; Di Marco S; Gallouzi I-E; Sartori R; Penna F; Costelli P; Sandri M; Gregorevic P; Toth MJ; Miller MS; Callahan DM; Couch ME; Dittus K; Sharma M; Argilés JM; Bedard N; Wiles B; Jammoul S; Miao M; Wykes L; Coyne E; Hallauer P; Hastings K; Stretch C; Baracos V; Chevalier S; Wing S; Marchildon F; Lala N; St-Louis C; Wiper-Bergeron N; Silva KAS; Dong J; Tweardy DJ; Mitch WE; Zhang L; Hall DT; F J; Griss T; Jones RG; Di Marco S; Gallouzi I-E; Marks DL; Rudnicki MA; Laine A; Narayanan S; Choy H; Girard L; Gazdar A; Minna J; Infante R; Iyengar P; Petruzzelli M; Schweiger M; Rincon M; Robertson G; Zechner R; Wagner EF; Penna F; Pin F; Costamagna D; Camperi A; Sampaolesi M; Costelli P; He W; Talbert E; Londhe P; Bloomston M; Croce C; Guttridge D; Breit SN; Tsai VW; Manandhar R; Lin S; Sainsbury A; Brown DA; Ferrara M; Reano S; Angelino E; Sabry O; Filigheddu N; Graziani A; Robertson G; Tsoli M; Allen J; Taylor R; Scwheiger M; Swarbrick MM; Ehteda A; Miekle P; Zechner R; Molloy M; Waning DL; Mohammad KS; Reiken S; Xie W; Marks AR; Guise TA; Moya R; Zhao C; Davies JD; Carson J; Couch ME; Stecher M; Mouelhi ME; Tseng Y-C; Kulp SK; Lai I-L; Hsu E-C; He WA; Frankhouser DE; Yan PS; Mo X; Bloomston M; Lesinski GB; Marcucci G; Guttridge DC; Bekaii-Saab T; Chen C-S; Al Haddad A; Al-Azwani E; Mahamoud Y; Safi F; Salhat HE; Malek J; Adrian T; Fearon K; Temel J; Currow D; Gleich L; Friend J; Abernethy A; Garcia JM; Ma J; Hall DT; Robinson S; Patel D; Di Marco S; Gallouzi I-E; Dubé A; Patoine D; Lemire B; Thériault M-E; Ribeiro F; Debigaré R; Maltais F; Smuder AJ; Min K; Kwon O-S; Wiggs MP; Sollanenk KJ; Christou DD; Yoo J-K; Hwang M-H; Szeto HH; Kavazis AN; Powers SK; Kroenke CH; Meyerhardt JA; Kwan ML; Prado C; Xiao J; Weltzien E; Castillo A; Caan BJ; Guan C; Giles K; Wing S; Mazurak V; Baracos V; Jagoe RT; Wiles B; Miao M; Coyne E; Larose L; Cybulsky AV; Wing SS; Marino FE; Risbridger G; Gold E; Marchildon F; Wiper-Bergeron N; Segatto M; Fittipaldi R; Costelli P; Caretti G; Lee H; Fu D; Lala N; Wiper-Bergeron N; Dwarkasing J; Boekschoten M; Argilès J; van Dijk M; Busquets S; Penna F; Toledo M; Laviano A; Witkamp R; van Norren K; Bédard N; Plourde M; Baracos V; Chevalier S; Wing SS; Lala-Tabbert N; Marchildon F; Fu D; Wiper-Bergeron N; Torabi S; Glare P; Plodkowski A; Margaron Y; Fernandes M; Morales D; Poydenot P; Menager P; Fuchs A; Degot S; He WA; Calore F; Londhe P; Canella A; Guttridge DC; Croce CM; Narayanan S; Laine A; Srinivasan K; Pulliparracharuvil S; Choy H; Meyer J; Gazdar A; Minna J; Scherer PE; Infante R; Iyengar P; Kambadur R; Martinelli GB; Talamini L; Previdi S; Piccirillo R; Jafri SH; Previgliano C; Khandelwal K; Shi R; Mills G; Amato R; Coats V; Ribeiro F; Tremblay L; Lacasse Y; Maltais F; Saey D; AL Vigano A; Ciutto L; Di Tomasso J; Kilgour RD; Morais JA; Borod M; Almasud A; Giles K; Baracos V; Guan L; Mazurak V; Khanuja J; Gresham G; Osipov A; Tan C-R; Tuli R; Hendifar A; Narasimhan A; Greiner R; Yasui Y; Bathe O; Fearon K; Baracos V; Damaraju S; Banh T; Kliewer K; Hsiao Y-H; Belury MA; Caan B; Kroenke CH; Prado C; Meyerhardt JA; Weltzien E; Xiao J; Quesenberry C; Kwan M; Castillo A; Prado CM; Baracos VE; Xiao J; Birdsell L; Stuyckens K; Park YC; Parekh T; Sawyer MB; Wu C; Fernandez ; Criswell T; Chidiac T; Guttridge D; Villalona-Calero M; Bekaii-Saab T; Ciutto L; Di Tomasso J; Kilgour RD; Khan S; Morais JA; Borod M; ALVigano A; Fu D; Wiper-Bergeron N; Matos-Neto E; Figuerêdo R; Camargo R; Lima J; Alves M; Riccardi D; Alcantara P; Pinhata J; Maximiano L; Seelaender M; Lamarche É; Wiper-Bergeron N; Au ED; Desai AP; Koniaris LG; Zimmers TA; Manring H; He W; Guttridge DC; Weisleder N; Okamura H; Tseng Y-C; Kulp SK; Lai I-L; He WA; Frankhouser D; Yan P; Guttridge DC; Marcucci G; Bekaii-Saab T; Chen C-S; di Tomasso J; Del Fabbro EG; Davis MP; Fearon KC; Jatoi AA; Vigano A; Giles K; Putman T; Baracos V; Mazurak V; Kezhuo Z; Sladek R; Enjiu L; Camargo R; Gomes S; Matos-Neto E; Laviano A; Rossi-Fanneli F; Seelaender M; Ebadi M; Baracos VE; Mazurak VC; Bhatia N; Padliya ND; Stadler V; Dariani M; Hariri RJ; Parker VA; Matthews RR; Bonetto A; Puppa M; Kang KS; Carson J; Guise TA; Mohammed KS; Robling AG; Koniaris LG; Zimmers TA; Toledo M; Penna F; Oliva F; Luque M; Betancourt A; Marmonti E; López-Soriano FJ; Argilés JM; Busquets S; Theal R; Jiang H; Sanchez A; Hussain SN; Wing SS; Morais JA; Chevalier S; Serpe R; Madeddu C; Gudiño V; Gabba S; Antoni G; Busquets S; Macciò A; Banni S; Koniaris LG; Zimmers TA, 2015, 'Abstracts of the 2nd Cancer Cachexia Conference, Montreal, Canada, 26–28 September 2014', Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle, 6, pp. 2 - 31, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12004

Tsai VWW; Manandhar R; Jrøgensen SB; Lee-Ng KKM; Zhang HP; Marquis CP; Jiang L; Husaini Y; Lin S; Sainsbury A; Sawchenko PE; Brown DA; Breit SN; Lee-Ng M, 2014, 'The anorectic actions of the TGFβ cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 require an intact brainstem area postrema and nucleus of the solitary tract', Plos One, 9, pp. e100370, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0100370

Mohammad MG; Tsai VWW; Ruitenberg MJ; Hassanpour M; Li H; Hart PH; Breit SN; Sawchenko PE; Brown DA; Hassanpour Golakani M, 2014, 'Immune cell trafficking from the brain maintains CNS immune tolerance', Journal of Clinical Investigation, 124, pp. 1228 - 1241, http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/JCI71544

Mohammad MG; Tsai VWW; Ruitenberg MJ; Hassanpour M; Li H; Hart PH; Breit SN; Sawchenko PE; Brown DA, 2014, 'A forebrain-immune cell pathway for the maintenance of CNS immune tolerance', Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research, 20, pp. 8 - 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.npbr.2014.01.144

Tsai VW-W; Macia L; Manandhar R; Wiklund F; Grönberg H; Pedersen N; Lee-Ng M; Zhang HP; Brown D; Herzog H; Sainsbury A; Breit SN, 2014, 'Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1/GDF15), a novel regulator of body weight and appetite and a potential therapeutic for obesity', Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 8, pp. 105 - 105, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2014.10.191

Mohammad M; Hassanpour M; Tsai V; Li H; Ruitenberg M; Booth D; Serrats J; Hart P; Symonds G; Sawchenko P; Breit S; Brown D, 2012, 'Dendritic Cells and Multiple Sclerosis: Disease, Tolerance and Therapy', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 14, pp. 547 - 562, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms14010547

Breit SN; Carrero JJ; Tsai VW-W; Yagoutifam N; Luo W; Kuffner T; Bauskin AR; Wu L; Jiang L; Barany P; Heimburger O; Murikami M-A; Apple FS; Marquis CP; Macia L; Lin S; Sainsbury A; Herzog H; Law M; Stenvinkel P; Brown DA, 2012, 'Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15) and mortality in end-stage renal disease', Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 27, pp. 70 - 75, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfr575

Macia L; Tsai VW-W; Nguyen AD; Johnen H; Kuffner T; Shi Y-C; Lin S; Herzog H; Brown DA; Breit SN; Sainsbury A, 2012, 'Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1/GDF15) decreases food intake, body weight and improves glucose tolerance in mice on normal & obesogenic diets.', PLoS One, 7, pp. e34868, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0034868

Husaini Y; Qiu MR; Lockwood GP; Luo XW; Shang P; Kuffner T; Tsai VW-W; Jiang L; Russell PJ; Brown DA; Breit SN, 2012, 'Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15) slows cancer development but increases metastases in TRAMP prostate cancer prone mice.', PLoS One, 7, pp. e43833, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0043833

Brown DA; Tsai VWW; Mohammad MG; Tolhurst O; Breit SN; Sawchenko PE, 2011, 'CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-delta (C/EBPdelta) regulates Th17/Treg balance via an antigen presenting cell - interleukin-10 dependent mechanism in neuroinflammation', MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL, 17, pp. S344 - S344, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000209137301142&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Breit SN; Johnen H; Cook AD; Tsai VWW; Mohammad MG; Kuffner T; Zhang HP; Marquis CP; Jiang L; Lockwood G; Lee-Ng M; Husaini Y; Wu L; Hamilton JA; Brown DA, 2011, 'The TGF-β superfamily cytokine, MIC-1/GDF15: A pleotrophic cytokine with roles in inflammation, cancer and metabolism', Growth Factors, 29, pp. 187 - 195, http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/08977194.2011.607137

Kuo L-H; Hu M-K; Hsu W-M; Tung Y-T; Wang B-J; Tsai W-W; Yen C-T; Liao Y-F, 2008, 'Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-elicited stimulation of gamma-secretase is mediated by c-Jun N-terminal kinase-dependent phosphorylation of presenilin and nicastrin.', Mol Biol Cell, 19, pp. 4201 - 4212, http://dx.doi.org/10.1091/mbc.e07-09-0987

Johnen H; Lin S; Kuffner T; Brown DA; Tsai VW-W; Bauskin AR; Wu L; Pankhurst G; Jiang L; Junankar S; Hunter M; Fairlie WD; Lee NJ; Enriquez RF; Baldock PA; Corey E; Apple FS; Murakami MM; Lin E-J; Wang C; During MJ; Sainsbury A; Herzog H; Breit SN, 2007, 'Tumor-induced anorexia and weight loss are mediated by the TGF-beta superfamily cytokine MIC-1.', Nat Med, 13, pp. 1333 - 1340, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm1677

Tsai VWW; Scott HL; Lewis RJ; Dodd PR, 2005, 'The role of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in neuronal excitotoxicity in alzheimer's disease', Neurotoxicity Research, 7, pp. 125 - 141, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF03033782

Tsai VWW; Dodd PR; Lewis RJ, 2005, 'The effects of alanine-substituted conantokin-G and ifenprodil on the human spermine-activated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor', Neuroscience, 130, pp. 457 - 464, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2004.09.039

Andersen DL; Eckert AL; Tsai VWW; Burke CJ; Tannenberg AEG; Dodd PR, 2002, 'GABAA receptor sites in the developing human foetus', Developmental Brain Research, 139, pp. 107 - 119, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0165-3806(02)00534-5

Conference Papers

Mohammad M; Tsai VWW; Ruitenberg M; Hassanpour M; Li H; Hart P; Breit S; Sawchenko P; Brown D, 2014, 'CNS DCs modulate peripheral anti-CNS immunity', in JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY, ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, GERMANY, Mainz, pp. 82 - 82, presented at 12th International Congress of Neuroimmunology (ISNI), GERMANY, Mainz, 09 November 2014 - 13 November 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.08.218

Mohammad MG; Tsai VWW; Hassanpour M; Li H; Breit SN; Hart PH; Sawchenko PE; Brown DA, 2012, 'A Forebrain Immune Cellular Pathway for the Prevention of CNS Autoimmunity', in JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY, ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, Boston, MA, pp. 124 - 124, presented at 11th International Congress of Neuroimmunology (ISNI), Boston, MA, 04 November 2012 - 08 November 2012, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=000312764800334&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Breit SN; Husaini Y; Lockwood G; Kuffner T; Tsai V; Luo XW; Jiang L; Lee-Ng M; Zhang HP; Wu L; Brown DA, 2011, 'PS1-090 The role of the TGF-β superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 in biology and medicine', in Cytokine, Elsevier BV, pp. 40 - 40, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2011.07.122

Breit SN; Johnen H; Lin S; Kuffner T; Brown DA; Tsai V; Bauskin AR; Corey L; Sainsbury A; Herzog H, 2008, 'The TGF-beta superfamily cytokine MIC-1 causes tumour-induced anorexia/cachexia by modulating appetite control centres in the hypothalamus', in Cytokine, Academic Press Ltd Elsevier Science Ltd, London, England, pp. 323 - 323, presented at Cytokine, -

Conference Abstracts

Mohammad MG; Tsai V; Li H; Hassanpour M; Hart P; Breit S; Sawchenko P; Brown D, 2016, 'A choroid-forebrain-lymphatic pathway for the maintenance of CNS immune tolerance', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, Vol. 46, pp. 166 - 166, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610400332&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

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