Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 20, 2026

Development of an Insert Co-culture System of Two Cellular Types in the Absence of Cell-Cell Contact
11:29

Development of an Insert Co-culture System of Two Cellular Types in the Absence of Cell-Cell Contact

Published on: July 17, 2016

Signal transduction pathways induced by GM-CSF in microglia: significance in the control of proliferation

S M Liva1, M A Kahn, J M Dopp

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Mental Retardation Research Center, Brain Research Institute, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90024-1759, USA.

Glia
|June 26, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) activates microglia, key immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS). This activation involves Jak/STAT and MAP kinase pathways, offering potential targets for controlling CNS inflammation.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Cellular signaling

Background:

  • Cellular communication in the central nervous system (CNS) involves cytokines and growth factors.
  • Microglia, the resident immune cells of the CNS, are activated by certain factors, contributing to neuroinflammation.
  • Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) influences microglial proliferation and morphology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the signaling pathways activated by GM-CSF in microglia.
  • To compare the GM-CSF response in primary microglia and a microglia cell line (BV-2) to that of monocytes and macrophages.
  • To identify potential therapeutic targets for CNS inflammatory conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of Jak/STAT expression patterns in primary microglia and BV-2 cells.
  • Assessment of GM-CSF inducibility of specific signaling molecules.
  • Immunocytochemical analysis to track protein translocation.
  • Western blot analysis to detect MAP kinase phosphorylation.

Main Results:

  • Primary microglia and BV-2 cells exhibited a Jak/STAT expression profile similar to monocytes and macrophages.
  • GM-CSF induced Jak2, STAT5A, and STAT5B in BV-2 cells.
  • STAT5 translocation to the nucleus and phosphorylation of ERK1/ERK2 were observed upon GM-CSF stimulation.
  • These pathways (Jak2, STAT5A/B, ERKs) are implicated in cellular proliferation.

Conclusions:

  • Microglia share signaling pathway responses to GM-CSF with myeloid lineage cells.
  • The Jak/STAT and MAP kinase pathways are crucial for GM-CSF-induced microglial activation.
  • Inhibiting these pathways presents a potential strategy for managing CNS inflammation by controlling microglial proliferation.

More Related Videos

Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Co-Cultured with Primary Mixed Glia to Reduce Prion-Induced Inflammation10:40

Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Co-Cultured with Primary Mixed Glia to Reduce Prion-Induced Inflammation

Published on: August 11, 2023

Generating and Co-culturing Murine Primary Microglia and Cortical Neurons08:47

Generating and Co-culturing Murine Primary Microglia and Cortical Neurons

Published on: July 26, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze the...
Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers01:15

Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers

Many receptor binding ligands are hydrophilic; they do not cross the cell membrane but bind to cell-surface receptors. Thus, their message must be relayed by second messengers present in the cell cytoplasm. There are several second messenger pathways, each with its own way of relaying information. For example, the G protein-coupled receptors can activate both phosphoinositol and cyclic AMP (cAMP) second messenger pathways. The phosphoinositol pathway is active when the receptor induces...
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses01:22

Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses

The physiological function of a cell and cellular communication are outcomes of a range of extrinsic signals, intracellular signaling pathways, and cellular responses. No two cell types express the same repertoire of signaling components. Receptors are highly selective for their cognate ligands, but once activated, they can alter multiple cellular processes such as DNA transcription, protein synthesis, and metabolic activity. 
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...