title: The importance of the granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in oncology.
abstract: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a glycoprotein, the second CSF, sharing some common effects with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3) and interleukin-5 (IL-5). G-CSF is mainly produced by fibroblasts and endothelial cells from bone marrow stroma and by immunocompetent cells (monocytes, macrophages). The receptor for G-CSF (G-CSFR) is part of the cytokine and hematopoietin receptor superfamily and G-CSFR mutations cause severe congenital neutropenia. The main action of G-CSF - G-CSFR linkage is stimulation of the production, mobilization, survival and chemotaxis of neutrophils, but there are many other G-CSF effects: growth and migration of endothelial cells, decrease of norepinephrine reuptake, increase in osteoclastic activity and decrease in osteoblast activity. In oncology, G-CSF is utilized especially for the primary prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, but it can be used for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, it can produce monocytic differentiation of some myeloid leukemias and it can increase some drug resistance. The therapeutic indications of G-CSF are becoming more and more numerous: non neutropenic patients infections, reproductive medicine, neurological disturbances, regeneration therapy after acute myocardial infarction and of skeletal muscle, and hepatitis C therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Sînziana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetean
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Oncology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Călin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Căinap
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Constantin
authors.affiliation: Department of Infant Care, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Căinap
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gherman
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Luminiţa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oprean
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hangan
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oprean
keywords: G-CSF; G-CSFR; neutropenia; therapeutic indications