Macrophage migration inhibitor factor (MIF): Potential role in cognitive impairment disorders.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine in the immune system, participated in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Except from immune cells, MIF is also secreted by a variety of non-immune cells, including hematopoietic cells, endothelial cells (ECs), and neurons. MIF plays a crucial role in various diseases, such as sepsis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute kidney injury, and neurodegenerative diseases. The role of MIF in the neuropathogenesis of cognitive impairment disorders is emphasized, as it recruits multiple inflammatory mediators, leading to activating microglia or astrocyte-derived neuroinflammation. Furthermore, it contributes to the cell death of neurons and ECs with the binding of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) through parthanatos-associated apoptosis-inducing factor nuclease (PAAN) / MIF pathway. This review comprehensively delves into the relationship between MIF and the neuropathogenesis of cognitive impairment disorders, providing a series of emerging MIF-targeted pharmaceuticals as potential treatments for cognitive impairment disorders.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor as an incriminating agent in vitiligo

Abstract: Background: Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disorder in which the loss of melanocytes is mainly attributed to defective autoimmune mechanisms and, lately, there has been more emphasis on autoinflammatory mediators. Among these is the macrophage migration inhibitory factor, which is involved in many autoimmune skin diseases. However, little is known about the contribution of this factor to vitiligo vulgaris. Objective: To determine the hypothesized role of migration inhibitory factor in vitiligo via estimation of serum migration inhibitory factor levels and migration inhibitory factor mRNA concentrations in patients with vitiligo compared with healthy controls. We also aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between the values of serum migration inhibitory factor and/or migration inhibitory factor mRNA with disease duration, clinical type and severity in vitiligo patients. Methods: Evaluation of migration inhibitory factor serum level and migration inhibitory factor mRNA expression by ELISA and real-time PCR, respectively, were performed for 50 patients with different degrees of vitiligo severity and compared to 15 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers as controls. Results: There was a highly significant increase in serum migration inhibitory factor and migration inhibitory factor mRNA levels in vitiligo cases when compared to controls (p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between both serum migration inhibitory factor and migration inhibitory factor mRNA concentrations in vitiligo patients, and each of them with duration and severity of vitiligo. In addition, patients with generalized vitiligo have significantly elevated serum migration inhibitory factor and mRNA levels than control subjects. Study limitations: Small number of investigated subjects. Conclusions: Migration inhibitory factor may have an active role in the development of vitiligo, and it may also be a useful index of disease severity. Consequently, migration inhibitory factor may be a new treatment target for vitiligo patients.

El factor inhibidor de la migración de macrófagos y su relación con la obesidad y la diabetes / Macrophage migration inhibitory factor and its relationship with obesity and diabetes

En diversos estudios se ha identificado que la obesidad y principalmente el aumento de adiposidad en la región abdominal, se asocia con inflamación de grado bajo, resistencia a la insulina (RI), homeostasis alterada de la glucosa y con sus comorbilidades tales como la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2), la hipertensión, las dislipidemias y las enfermedades cardiovasculares. El factor inhibidor de la migración de macrófagos (MIF) es una citocina proinflamatoria involucrada en enfermedades autoinmunes e inflamatorias. Sin embargo, actualmente, se sugiere que el MIF está involucrado en el proceso inflamatorio que acompaña a la obesidad, así como en el control metabólico de las complicaciones asociadas a la obesidad. Los diferentes estudios muestran de manera consistente, el aumento en los niveles séricos del MIF en personas con obesidad, diabetes tipo 2 y en los diabéticos que presentan complicaciones microvasculares (la nefropatía, la retinopatía y el síndrome de pie diabético). La relación del MIF con la regulación del metabolismo de la glucosa y la apoptosis de las células β pancreáticas, así como la asociación de algunos polimorfismos funcionales en el promotor del gen del MIF con la obesidad y la diabetes. Esta revisión resume conocimientos basados en estudios clínicos y epidemiológicos sobre el papel del MIF en la obesidad y la diabetes tipo 2.

Several studies have found that obesity and increased adiposity mainly in the abdominal region, are associated with low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance (IR), impaired glucose homeostasis and comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and cardiovascular disease. The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, currently it is suggested that MIF is involved in the inflammatory process associated with obesity and the metabolic control of the complications associated with obesity. Different studies show consistently, increased serum levels of MIF in subjects with obesity, type 2 diabetes and diabetics with microvascular complications (nephropathy, retinopathy and diabetic foot syndrome). The relationship of the MIF to the regulation of glucose metabolism and apoptosis of pancreatic β cells, and the association of some functional polymorphisms in the promoter of the MIF gene with obesity and diabetes.This review summarizes, the knowledge based on clinical and epidemiological studies on the role of MIF in obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Biocirugía: utilización de larvas de insectos necrófagos en la curación de heridas. La terapia larval / Biosurgery: use of larvae of necrophage insects in wound healing. The larval therapy

La terapia larval es una técnica que permite aplicar las larvas de algunas especies de dípteros sobre heridas crónicas o sobre focos de infección localizados, con la finalidad de restaurar el tejido afectado. La velocidad y la eficacia del tratamiento, sumadas a la casi nula pérdida de tejido sano durante el proceso de reparación tisular, han hecho de la terapia larval o biocirugía una alternativa viable para la curación de heridas asociadas con entidades como pie diabético, úlceras venosas, úlceras crónicas de la piel y quemaduras, así como de ciertos tipos de tumores beningos, abscesos y osteomielitis.Aunque la medicina moderna ha sido, en muchos casos, reticente a la aplicación de terapias de esta índole, eventos como la resistencia a los antibióticos y las alteraciones en el proceso de cicatrización en las heridas crónicas han permitido modificar la posición inicial de muchos médicos al respecto.