The role of PEDF in ageing and development: reduction of oxidative damage and support for stem cells

This review highlights recent findings on the versatile serpin protein, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), as pertains to its roles in ageing and development, including its linked functions as an antioxidant and in stem cell support. The anti-oxidative properties of PEDF channel through several well-known pathways such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase. PEDF also supports stem cell survival in various tissues, leading to certain types of differentiation of such cells, for example, in bone. Mesenchymal stem cells engineered to overexpress PEDF have profound effects on neighbouring cells, which can be exploited therapeutically. PEDF can attenuate both the p53 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma pathways. This review provides a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind overview of the protein, listing a majority of all the relevant studies reported to date.