The multifaceted effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in immunomodulation and potential roles in intestinal immune homeostasis.
The three colony-stimulating factors, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), have been regarded as immunostimulators because of their role in granulocyte and myeloid hematopoiesis and immune function. However, unlike GM-CSF and M-CSF, G-CSF possesses immunosuppressive effects on other immune cells including monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells, and T lymphocytes when exogenously administered. Given the immunomodulatory effects of exogenous G-CSF, endogenous G-CSF may also play an important role in maintaining local immune homeostasis in tissue in which it is highly and constitutively produced. This review highlights the potential role of G-CSF in immunomodulation and intestinal immune homeostasis.
Martins
Andrew
A
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Han
Jiahuai
J
Kim
Sung O
SO
D000818:Animals; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*
D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor