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(Journal Article) |
Nature reviews. Immunology 3 (10): 791-800 (2003)
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor: a regulator of innate immunity.
Thierry Calandra
,
Thierry Roger
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.