Light is one of the most important environmental factors controlling plant physiology. The human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) was produced from cell suspension cultures of transgenic tobacco under different light conditions (24 hr light, 18 hr light/dark cycle, dark). Under 24 hr light condition, cell growth was best and dry cell weight reached 14.4 g/L. Light did not influenced the secretion of total proteins. However, in the dark condition, the ratio of secreted total protein/dry cell weight was 1.5 fold higher than those of ethel conditions. Production of hGM-CSF was highest with 18 hr light condition and reached 496.5 ug/L. In addition, the content of hGM-CSf in secreted total proteins was 1.8 fold higher than that of 24 hr light condition, which is beneficial for the purificationof the protein