Although this effect did not appear to be related to cardiomyocyte proliferation, G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) did exert cardioprotective effects directly on the myocardium by reducing inflammatory factors and cardiomyocyte/endothelial cell apoptosis, and by alleviating adverse cardiac remodeling and myocardial dysfunction post-MI [176, 177]. The gene discussed is CSF3; the disease is myocardial infarction.