Regulation of interleukin 3 expression in normal and autocrine transformed hematopoietic cells (Review)

Over the past decade, the regulation of cytokine expression has been intensively studied. Control of cytokine expression has important clinical implications. Cytokine therapy has been utilized in the treatment of many diseases including: cancer, bone marrow transplantation, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. Interleukin 3 (IL-3) affects the growth of hematopoietic, neurological, as well as other cells. This review will focus on understanding the regulation of IL-3 in normal and autocrine transformed cells. The mechanisms by which IL-3 transduces its growth and survival functions in appropriate target cells will also be discussed. An understanding of the means by which IL-3 and other hematopoietic cytokines exert their effects will aid our understanding of normal and abnormal cell growth as well as providing novel treatments for patients who suffer from hematopoietic, neurological, as well as many other diseases.