Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (GM-CSF receptor (GM-CSFR))

The granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor is a heterodimeric type I cytokine receptor expressed primarily on myeloid lineage cells. It consists of an alpha chain responsible for ligand binding and a beta chain that mediates signal transduction; the beta subunit is shared with interleukin 3 and interleukin 5 receptors[2][4]. Upon binding granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), the complex undergoes conformational changes leading to dodecamer formation and activation of intracellular signaling cascades including JAK2/STAT5, PI3K/AKT, ERK/MAPK, and NF-kB pathways. These signals regulate key biological processes such as cell survival, proliferation, differentiation into granulocytes/macrophages/dendritic cells, functional activation during immune responses or inflammation—and are implicated in both normal hematopoiesis and pathological conditions like cancer or autoimmune diseases. The GM-CSF–GM-CSFR axis is considered a validated therapeutic target in inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis; several monoclonal antibodies targeting either the ligand or its receptor are under clinical investigation[1][4][5].

Other names

GM-CSFRCSF2 receptorColony-stimulating factor 2 receptorCD116 (for the alpha subunit)

Antagonism of GM-CSF binding to its receptor to inhibit downstream signaling pathways such as JAK2/STAT5, PI3K/AKT, ERK/MAPK[1][4][5]