title: Midkine in inflammation.
abstract: The 13 kDa heparin-binding growth factor midkine (MK) was originally identified as a molecule involved in the orchestration of embryonic development. Recent studies provided evidence for a new role of MK in acute and chronic inflammatory processes. Accordingly, several inflammatory diseases including nephritis, arthritis, atherosclerosis, colitis, and autoimmune encephalitis have been shown to be alleviated in the absence of MK in animal models. Reduced leukocyte recruitment to the sites of inflammation was found to be one important mechanism attenuating chronic inflammation when MK was absent. Furthermore, MK was found to modulate expression of proinflammatory cytokines and the expansion of regulatory T-cells. Here, we review the current understanding of the role of MK in different inflammatory disorders and summarize the knowledge of MK biology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80336 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ludwig T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Weckbach
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walzog
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D016207:Cytokines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D000078792:Midkine; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000276:immunology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; C066254:MDK protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; C408049:midkine receptors; C066845:pleiotrophin; D000078792:Midkine