ReviewPost screenProgranulin as a biomarker and potential therapeutic agent

- PGRN is a growth factor with pleiotropic actions.
- PGRN shows potential as a biomarker in different diseases.
- Attstrin (a PGRN-derived peptide) is a potential therapeutic agent in inflammation.

Progranulin is a cysteine-rich secreted protein with diverse pleiotropic actions and participates in several processes, such as inflammation or tumorigenesis. Progranulin was first identified as a growth factor and, recently, it was characterised as an adipokine implicated in obesity, insulin resistance and rheumatic disease. At a central level, progranulin acts as a neurotropic and neuroprotective factor and protects from neural degeneration. In this review, we summarise the most recent research advances concerning the potential role of progranulin as a therapeutic target and biomarker in cancer, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases.