Patent ID: 7824669

Claim:
Method to stimulate the expansion, proliferation or mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) in an animal, comprising administering to said animal a composition comprising a granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) cysteine mutein of SEQ ID NO:8, wherein a cysteine residue is substituted for an amino acid selected from the group consisting of A1, A3, S5, S7, N27, T32, A33, E51, R67, S69, E93, T94, T98, Q99, T102, E123, V125, Q126, and E127, or wherein a cysteine residue is added preceding the first amino acid of the mature protein or following the last amino acid of the protein, and wherein said variant has biological activity in vitro as measured by proliferation of a cell line that proliferates in response to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.