Levels of serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with infections

Abstract

To clarify the physiologic roles of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in infectious states in vivo, we examined the serum levels of G-CSF in patients with infection. Serum samples from 24 patients in the acute stage of infection (14 men and 10 women, age 65 to 101, without hematologic disorders), as well as samples from 32 age- matched normal elderly volunteers were investigated. Sixteen of the initial 24 patients were reexamined after the recovery phase. G-CSF levels were examined by quantitative enzyme immunoassay. The G-CSF level in normal elderly controls, 25.3 +/- 19.7 pg/mL, was not different from that reported in other findings. There was no statistically significant relationship between their G-CSF level and peripheral white blood cell count or neutrophilic granulocyte count. The G-CSF level in the acute stage of infection was 731.8 +/- 895.0 pg/mL, with a range of 30 to 3,199 pg/mL. There was no significant difference in G-CSF levels between patients with respiratory tract infection and those with urinary tract infection. In all 16 cases examined, the serum G-CSF level in the acute stage of infection was significantly higher than that after recovery phase, the latter being the same as the level in normal elderly controls. G-CSF must therefore play a significant role in human infectious states in vivo.

BAL Induces an Increase in Peripheral Blood Neutrophils and Cytokine Levels in Healthy Volunteers and Patients With Pneumonia

“…Endogenous G-CSF serum levels have been shown to be increased as much as 30-fold in patients with severe infection. 23 In the present study, the BAL procedure induced a 2.7-fold increase in the G-CSF concentration in the normal volunteer subjects and a 10-fold increase in patients with pneumonia. The presence of large numbers of inflammatory cells and priming of these cells in the pneumonic process could be responsible for the enhanced cytokine release.…”

Relationship of granulocyte colony stimulating factor with other acute phase reactants in man

“…However, our observations suggest strongly that if G‐CSF has similar effects in humans, pretreatment with G‐CSF may provide a novel approach to clinical prophylaxis of bacterial infections. Increased serum concentrations of G‐CSF have been detected in acute urinary tract and respiratory infections [8–10], but the relationships to other acute phase proteins and the acute phase response in general have not been examined. Both the classical acute phase response and neutrophilia associated with increased serum G‐CSF values have been well documented in patients undergoing elective cardiothoracic surgery [11–19].…”

G‐CSF enhances the proliferation and mobilization, but not the maturation rate, of murine myeloid cells

“…Granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF), known to be a major regulator of granulopoiesis, is a cytokine produced by monocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and bone marrow stromal cells. Serum levels of G‐CSF are usually raised during infections (12, 13). The mechanisms involved in G‐CSF‐mediated regulation of the production, maturation, and release of neutrophils from the bone marrow are still incompletely understood.…”