title: GM-CSF alters dendritic cells in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Autoimmune diseases arise from an inappropriate immune response against self components, including macromolecules, cells, tissues, organs etc. They are often triggered or accompanied by inflammation, during which the levels of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) are elevated. GM-CSF is an inflammatory cytokine that has profound impact on the differentiation of immune system cells of myeloid lineage, especially dendritic cells (DCs) that play critical roles in immune initiation and tolerance, and is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Although GM-CSF was discovered decades ago, recent studies with some new findings have shed an interesting light on the old hematopoietic growth factor. In the inflammatory autoimmune diseases, GM-CSF redirects the normal developmental pathway of DCs, conditions their antigen presentation capacities and endows them with unique cytokine signatures to affect autoimmune responses. Here we review the latest advances in the field, with the aim of demonstrating the effects of GM-CSF on DCs and their influences on autoimmune diseases. The summarized knowledge will help to design DC-based strategies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University , Anhui , PR China .
authors.forename: Bao-Zhu
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qian-Ling
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Wang-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jie-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong-Qing
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Yuekang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor