Open AccessIL‐3 in the Clinic
Author(s) -
Eder Matthias,
Geissler Georg,
Ganser Arnold
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.150327
Subject(s) - biology , haematopoiesis , cytokine , progenitor cell , bone marrow , immunology , erythropoietin , transplantation , stem cell , cancer research , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
Since the cloning of human interleukin 3 (IL‐3) in 1986 [1] and the demonstration of its proliferative effects on multiple hematopoietic progenitor cells, IL‐3 has been widely studied to treat different states of bone marrow failure or hematologic malignancies, to mobilize or expand hematopoietic progenitor cells for transplantation, and to support engraftment after bone marrow transplantation. However, no condition for the clinical use of IL‐3 has been established so far despite its theoretical advantages as an early‐acting cytokine and in contrast to erythropoietin (EPO), G‐CSF, or GM‐CSF all of which have already been approved for several clinical modalities. Here we shortly review our current knowledge about the effects of IL‐3 on the molecular and cellular level, summarize recent clinical studies with IL‐3, and discuss further perspectives for the use of this cytokine.