GDF11 and adenocarcinoma: This study also showed that GDF11 is expressed in low grade adenocarcinoma tissue (G1), but lower levels in G3 tissue were found, and it was correlated with high expression of follistatin in G1, suggesting an inhibitory effect of GDF11 at higher levels of differentiation, which is consistent with the idea that high aggressiveness in cancer associates with less GDF11 function, confirming the tumor suppressive capacity of GDF11.