Research article
The hematopoietic factor GM-CSF (Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) promotes neuronal differentiation of adult neural stem cells in vitro
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* Corresponding author: Armin Schneider Schneider@sygnis.de
1 Sygnis Bioscience, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
2 Department of Neurology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 33, 48149 Münster, Germany
BMC Neuroscience 2007, 8:88 doi:10.1186/1471-2202-8-88
Published: 22 October 2007Abstract
Background
Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor involved in the generation of granulocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells from hematopoietic progenitor cells. We have recently demonstrated that GM-CSF has anti-apoptotic functions on neurons, and is neuroprotective in animal stroke models.
Results
The GM-CSF receptor α is expressed on adult neural stem cells in the rodent brain, and in culture. Addition of GM-CSF to NSCs in vitro increased neuronal differentiation in a dose-dependent manner as determined by quantitative PCR, reporter gene assays, and FACS analysis.
Conclusion
Similar to the hematopoietic factor Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), GM-CSF stimulates neuronal differentiation of adult NSCs. These data highlight the astonishingly similar functions of major hematopoietic factors in the brain, and raise the clinical attractiveness of GM-CSF as a novel drug for neurological disorders.