Recent studies have emphasized the role of microglia in the progression of many neurodegenerative diseases.The colony stimulating factors, CSF-1 (M-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) and granulocyte CSF (G-CSF) regulate microglia through different cognate receptors.While the receptors for GM-CSF (GM-CSFR) and G-CSF (G-CSFR) L-Carnitine are specific for their ligands, CSF-1 shares its receptor, the CSF-1 receptor-tyrosine kinase (CSF-1R), with interleukin-34 (IL-34).All four cytokines are expressed locally in the CNS.Activation of the CSF-1R in macrophages is anti-inflammatory.
In contrast, the actions of GM-CSF and G-CSF elicit different activated states.We here review the roles of each of Oil serum these cytokines in the CNS and how they contribute to the development of disease in a mouse model of CSF-1R-related leukodystrophy.Understanding their roles in this model may illuminate their contribution to the development or exacerbation of other neurodegenerative diseases.