Systemic G-CSF treatment does not improve long-term outcome after neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury

Background: Hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) is a major cause in the pathogenesis of developmental brain injury, leading to cognitive deficits and motor disabilities in preterm infants. The haematopoietic growth factor granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to act neuroprotective in rodent models of ischaemic stroke and is currently subject to phase I/II clinical trials in adults. Results on the effect of G-CSF in perinatal brain damage are contradictory. We have previously shown that G-CSF increases NMDAR-mediated excitotoxic brain injury. Aim: We aim to evaluate the long term effect of G-CSF on lon…