G-CSF therapy for acute myocardial infarction: Studies of animal experiments give valuable hints to clinical trials

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine that promotes proliferation and differentiation of neutrophil progenitors. Clinically, hematopoietic stem cells mobilized by G-CSF are widely used for transplantation. G-CSF has been reported to mobilize bone marrow stem cells and regenerate infarcted hearts of mice. Besides mobilization, G-CSF has activated various signaling pathways such as Akt and Janus family kinase-2/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 through G-CSF receptors in cardiac myocytes and has markedly prevented left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction by decreasing cardiomyocyte death and increasing the number of vessels. Although several clinical trials have been performed, the efficacy of G-CSF therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction is still controversial. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.