Pretreatment with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor decreases lipopolysaccharide-induced interferon-gamma production in mice in association with the production of interleukin-18.

We studied the effects of pretreatment with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mice received G-CSF or control saline once a day for 7 days or once at 1 h before the injection of LPS. Cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or antibody-based electrochemiluminescence assay and cytokine mRNA was measured by RNAse protection assay. Mice pretreated with G-CSF for 7 days before LPS had lower serum levels of LPS-induced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 than controls. G-CSF-pretreated mice also had lower mRNA levels of IFN-gamma and higher mRNA levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in the spleen and/or liver than controls. G-CSF-pretreated mice had serum levels of tumor necrosis factor, IL-12 p70 and IL-12 p40 similar to controls. G-CSF-pretreated mice had lower levels of spleen IL-18 than controls-serum IL-18 being undetectable in mice after LPS-and lower levels of IL-18 mRNA in the spleen. Mice pretreated with G-CSF 1 h before LPS had lower levels of serum IFN-gamma and spleen IL-18 than controls. G-CSF pretreatment alters the expression of LPS-induced cytokines with a decrease in pro-inflammatory IFN-gamma and an increase in anti-inflammatory IL-6 and IL-10. G-CSF decrease of IL-18 production may be a major mechanism explaining the effects of G-CSF on the production of IFN-gamma.