Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for ischemic heart failure: should we use it?

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine usually used in the treatment of patients with cancer. Studies have shown regenerative properties of bone marrow stem cell mobilization due to G-CSF in animals. Moreover, others effects related to G-CSF and independent of tissue regeneration were shown to be protective. As a result, this cytokine has been tested as a therapy for ischemic heart failure in humans. However, when this treatment was evaluated in clinical trials, the beneficial effects seen in small animals were not confirmed in infarcted patients. Thus, we sought to review the effects of G-CSF after an ischemic insult and on the progression of heart failure in animals and humans.