The Role of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) in Acute Kidney Injury

Abstract

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine implicated in acute and chronic disease, including autoimmune disease, atherogenesis, plaque instability, sepsis, glomerulonephritis, acute kidney injury and CKD. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target in human diseases including immune disorder, cancer, cardiologic diseases, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases. MIF was also reported contributes to leukocyte infiltration, histological damage and renal function impairment in multiple kidney diseases. MIF was considered to be the early prediction of tissue rejection in experimental and clinical transplantation. MIF is increased in many kidney diseases as: acute kidney injury, lipid-induced glomerular injury, rat crescentic glomerulonephritis, anti-GBM diseases, etc. MIF in plasma and urine is significantly elevated in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and elevated MIF in serum is associated with renal function and injury, it represents as a biomarker for renal replacement therapy after AKI. This review provides a brief concept of MIF signaling pathway and functional role of MIF in different kidney disease especially AKI.