title: Evaluation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor as an imaging marker for hepatocellular carcinoma in murine models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is considered as an important mediator in the pathogenesis of neoplasia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether MIF could be used as a marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biodistribution and whole-body autoradiography studies of (131)I-labeled anti-MIF monoclonal antibody (McAb) and (131)I-labeled control IgG were performed. The HCC-bearing mice were injected with 3.7 MBq of each agent and killed at 24, 48, and 72 h postinjection (p.i.). The organs, blood, and HCC tissues were removed from model mice, weighed, and counted using a gamma-counter. The expression of MIF mRNA and protein within HCC tissues was confirmed by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCCs in model mice could be adequately visualized at 24 h p.i. The target-to-non-target (T/NT) ratios were 6.72 ± 1.09 (24 h), 9.85 ± 0.81 (48 h), and 12.31 ± 0.57 (72 h) for (131)I-labeled anti-MIF McAb group, whereas in the control group of (131)I-IgG, T/NT ratios were 4.65 ± 0.63 (24 h), 6.12 ± 0.60 (48 h), and 8.23 ± 0.35 (72 h) (p < 0.05). MIF mRNA expression was twofold higher in the HCC tissues than in the healthy liver tissues. MIF protein expression was much higher in the HCC tissues than in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggested that (131)I-anti-MIF McAb could be rapidly and specifically localized in tumors. Thus, MIF could be used as a marker for HCC tumor detection.
authors: Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Institute of Experimental Nuclear Medicine, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Zhang
authors: Ting
authors: T
authors: Liang
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Song
authors: Shiqin
authors: S
authors: Jiang
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Qu
authors: Guihua
authors: G
authors: Hou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011859:Radiography; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger