Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) exerts protective effects on bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASC) and alveolar epithelial cells type II (AECII) following viral lung injury by downregulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, which activates mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). This activation supports the proliferation of epithelial stem cells and aids in the restoration of alveolar barrier function.
