[Function, molecular structure and gene expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor].

Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a 22 kDa glycoprotein secreted from activated T cells and stroma cells, plays an important role, both in the constructive and inducible hemopoiesis, by stimulating a wide range of hemopoietic cells. After the cloning of receptor genes, the high affinity GM-CSF receptor was reconstituted by the combination of cloned 80 kDa molecule (alpha chain) and 120 kDa molecule (beta chain). This human GM-CSF receptor beta chain also works as a beta chain of IL-3 or IL-5 high affinity receptor. The fact that the alpha chains of GM-CSF, IL-3 and IL-5 share the same beta chain may define a biological interaction among these three cytokines.