Projects & Grants
| Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with multiple sclerosis | |
|---|---|
| Project Id | SGS06/LF/2023 |
| Main solver | MUDr. Radovan Bunganič |
| Period | 1/2023 - 12/2023 |
| Provider | Specifický VŠ výzkum |
| State | finished |
| Anotation | Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Currently, there is a need for the detection of new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers that would contribute to early diagnosis and prediction of disease progression. Some even appear to be potential therapeutic targets. One promising biomarker is granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). It is a glycosylated protein that functions as a hematopoietic growth factor and pro-inflammatory cytokine. It is produced by several cell types, including CD4+ and CD8+ cells, but especially by astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS), where it regulates microglia function. The receptor for GM-CSF is expressed on neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the CNS. Although the pathogenesis of MS has not been fully elucidated, several studies have investigated the importance of GM-CSF in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of MS that is used to study the pathogenesis of MS. These studies suggest a possible contribution of GM-CSF to immune cell redistribution by facilitating the passage of monocytes into the CNS across the blood-brain barrier. At the same time, GM-CSF-producing T-lymphocytes enter the CNS more easily and produce interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-? (IFN-?), whose role in the pathogenesis of MS is nowadays unquestionable. Thus, GM-CSF is a potential biomarker of MS activity and also a potential therapeutic target in influencing the course of the disease. |
