title: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor: a regulator of innate immunity.
abstract: For more than a quarter of a century, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been a mysterious cytokine. In recent years, MIF has assumed an important role as a pivotal regulator of innate immunity. MIF is an integral component of the host antimicrobial alarm system and stress response that promotes the pro-inflammatory functions of immune cells. A rapidly increasing amount of literature indicates that MIF is implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, suggesting that MIF-directed therapies might offer new treatment opportunities for human diseases in the future.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors