MIF in Eosinophilic Inflammation

Abstract

Eosinophils are granular leukocytes known to have a central role in the effector arm of Th2 immune responses elicited in allergic diseases and parasitic inflammation. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a proinflammatory cytokine that not only contributes to the immune response to infection but also promotes tissue damage in sterile inflammation, and infectious conditions, is important in Th2 immune responses. Activated Th2 cells have increased MIF mRNA and protein, while eosinophils have mRNA and the preformed protein and secrete high quantities of MIF upon stimulation. In animal models of eosinophilic inflammation such as asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, and helminth infection, the blockage or the genetic lack of MIF causes a significant reduction of the cardinal signs observed in these diseases. Importantly, atopic patients have increased MIF in affected tissues. MIF also affects several aspects of eosinophil physiology including differentiation, survival, activation, and migration. In this chapter, we reviewed the current knowledge of the role of MIF in eosinophil biology and in eosinophilic inflammatory conditions.