Effect of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on 5-FU-induced ulcerative mucositis in hamster buccal pouches

The present study was performed to investigate the protective effects of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) against ulcerative mucositis in hamster buccal pouch. GM-CSF was topically administered to the buccal pouches of hamsters with two different doses of 5 and 20 μg/ml. The treatment of GM-CSF led to rapid healing effects in gross and histopathological findings. It decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA levels in the mucosal tissue of buccal pouches. Also GM-CSF-treated animals showed high numbers of Ki-67 positive cells in basal cell layer. These results suggest that GM-CSF provided excellent healing effects to ulcerative mucositis in the buccal pouch of hamster.