title: Current developments of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) inhibitors.
abstract: The cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is regarded as a major regulator of inflammation and a key mediator that counter-regulates the inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids within the immune system. Therefore, MIF is a therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, MIF was found to be implicated in cancer pathogenesis. Current therapeutic strategies for targeting MIF focus on inhibiting its signaling activity by small molecules or modulating its biological activities using anti-MIF neutralizing antibodies. In this review, the structure and biological functions of MIF are briefly outlined. Then, the available inhibitors of MIF are systematically summarized. Finally, the recent advances that have been made in the computer-aided drug design and molecular modeling studies of MIF are reviewed.
authors: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials FUNSOM and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Xu
authors: Youyong
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Huiyong
authors: H
authors: Sun
authors: Xuechu
authors: X
authors: Zhen
authors: Chunhua
authors: C
authors: Qiao
authors: Sheng
authors: S
authors: Tian
authors: Tingjun
authors: T
authors: Hou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors