GM-CSF as a therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases

•GM-CSF is a pro-inflammatory cytokine.•GM-CSF is a key factor in Th17 driven autoimmune inflammatory conditions.•GM-CSF is a therapeutic target for autoimmune inflammatory diseases. GM-CSF is a well-known haemopoietic growth factor that is used in the clinic to correct neutropaenia, usually as a result of chemotherapy. GM-CSF also has many pro-inflammatory functions and recent data implicates GM-CSF as a key factor in Th17 driven autoimmune inflammatory conditions. In this review we summarize the findings that have led to the development of GM-CSF antagonists for the treatment of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and discuss some results of recent clinical trials of these agents.