Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as a mediator of autoimmunity in multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology 2018-10, Vol.323, p.1-9
• Main Authors: Kostic, Milos, Zivkovic, Nikola, Cvetanovic, Ana, Stojanovic, Ivana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: EAE; GM-CSF; GM-CSF producing Th cells; Immunomodulation; Multiple sclerosis; Neuroinflammation
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2018.07.002

Autoreactive, myelin-specific, CD4+ T cells have a central role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis; however the exact phenotype characteristics of these cells remain elusive. Recently, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) expression has emerged as the main pathological signature of the encephalogenicity in both T and B cell compartment. In this review we have summarized the current data supporting GM-CSF relevance in MS pathophysiology, in the context of both immunomodulatory and neuroinflammatory processes; as well as the potential cellular sources of this stimulating factor, including different T and B cell subsets. [Display omitted] •GM-CSF emerged as the main pathological signature of T and B cells in MS.•GM-CSF is implicated in configuring main MS pathological features.•GM-CSF could be important from the aspect of self-tolerance breakdown.•GM-CSF was initially attributed to Th17 cells; however other sources are also speculated.