Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor: A Multifunctional Cytokine in Rheumatic Diseases

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor: A Multifunctional Cytokine in Rheumatic Diseases

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was originally identified in the culture medium of activated T lymphocytes as a soluble factor that inhibited the random migration of macrophages. MIF is now recognized to be a multipotent cytokine involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Moreover, the pivotal nature of its involvement highlights the importance of MIF to the p...

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...

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor and its role in autoimmune diseases.

After several decades of research into the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), its diverse actions in the immune system are yet to be fully revealed. What has become clear is that MIF plays an important role in both innate and adaptive immunity. However, while several pathways mediating the function of MIF in the immune system have been established, its role in pathogenic states such ...