Human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin 3 have overlapping but distinct hematopoietic activities.

S G Emerson; Y C Yang; S C Clark; M W Long

doi:10.1172/JCI113727

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109.

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Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109.

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Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109.

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Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109.

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Published in Volume 82, Issue 4 on October 1, 1988
J Clin Invest. 1988;82(4):1282–1287. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113727.
© 1988 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published October 1, 1988 - Version history

The hematopoietic stimulatory activities of human recombinant IL-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were directly compared using highly enriched human bone marrow progenitor target cells. IL-3 supported a larger number of erythroid and megakaryocytic progenitor cells than did GM-CSF, while GM-CSF supported more myeloid progenitors. IL-3 directly stimulated the division and migration of primitive erythroid burst forming units, while GM-CSF merely sustained their net survival in culture without promoting division and expansion. IL-3 promoted the formation of larger numbers of multipotential granulocyte-erythroid-macrophage-megakaryocyte colony forming unit--derived colonies than did GM-CSF. These data indicate that human IL-3 and GM-CSF have overlapping but distinct hematopoietic activities, and suggest a potential role for the clinical application of combined IL-3/GM-CSF therapy.