Crystal structure at 2.6-A resolution of human macrophage migration inhibitory factor.

Crystal structure at 2.6-A resolution of human macrophage migration inhibitory factor.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was the first cytokine to be described, but for 30 years its role in the immune response remained enigmatic. In recent studies, MIF has been found to be a novel pituitary hormone and the first protein identified to be released from immune cells on glucocorticoid stimulation. Once secreted, MIF counterregulates the immunosuppressive effects of steroid...

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor

Homologues of human macrophage migration inhibitory factor from a parasitic nematode. Gene cloning, protein activity, and crystal structure.

Cytokines are the molecular messengers of the vertebrate immune system, coordinating the local and systemic immune responses to infective organisms. We report here functional and structural data on cytokine-like proteins from a eukaryotic pathogen. Two homologues of the human cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) have been isolated from the parasitic nematode Brugia malayi. Both...

Human macrophage migration inhibitory factor: a proven immunomodulatory cytokine?

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory mediator with the ability to induce various immunomodulatory responses and override glucocorticoid-driven immunosuppression. Some of these functions have been linked to the unusual enzymatic properties of the protein, namely tautomerase and oxidoreductase activities. However, there are conflicting reports regarding the functiona...

Human Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (mif): a Proven Immunomodulatory Cytokine?

HUMAN MACROPHAGE MIGRATION INHIBITORY FACTOR (MIF): A PROVEN IMMUNOMODULATORY CYTOKINE? Alex Kudrin‡, Martin Scott§, Steven Martin§, Chun-wa Chung§, Rachelle Donn¶¥, Andrew McMaster¥, Stuart Ellison¥, David Ray¶, Keith Ray‡, Michael Binks‡ From the ‡Department of Disease Biology, Rheumatology and Inflammation, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, United Kingdom, SG1 2NY. §Discovery Research, GlaxoSmithK...