Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), also known as colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2), is a monomeric glycoprotein secreted by macrophages, T cells, mast cells, natural killer cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts that functions as a cytokine. GM-CSF was first described as a growth factor that induces the differentiation and proliferation of myeloid progenitors in the bone marrow, which also has an important cytokine effect in chronic inflammatory diseases by stimulating the activation and migration of myeloid cells to inflammation sites, promoting survival of target cells and stimulating the renewal of effector granulocytes and macrophages. GM-CSF receptor is composed of one α chain and one β chain with low and high-affinity binding to GM-CSF, respectively, and the β chain is shared with IL-3 and IL-5 receptor. GM-CSF signals via signal transducer and activator of transcription, STAT5. In macrophages, it has also been shown to signal via STAT3. The cytokine activates macrophages to inhibit fungal survival.
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