G-CSF does not Stimulate Leukemic Stem Cells in vivo

Abstract

The effect of G-CSF on leukemic stem cells, which can support the long-term proliferation of leukemic cells in vivo, needs to be clarified to confirm the long-term safety of clinical use of G-CSF. When we examined the effect of G-CSF on leukemic stem cells in NOD/SCID mice using a transplantation assay, the engraftment of leukemic cells derived from 8 AML cases was neither supported by G-CSF alone, nor enhanced by G-CSF plus GM-CSF, IL-3 and SCF. These findings suggest that G-CSF was not able to stimulate leukemic stem cells into maintaining the long-term proliferation of leukemic cells in vivo.