Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), enzymatic activity and the inflammatory response

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor represents a key cytokine in human diseases. It plays an important role in both innate and acquired immunity and has been shown to be a key mediator of inflammatory diseases. More recently MIF has been,implicated in cancer pathogenesis. Over the decades its structure and functions have been elucidated and this has led to it being further classified as a hormone and an enzyme. It has isomerase enzymatic activity and increasing evidence implicates this activity in inflammatory disease. Consequently, there is increasing interest in developing small molecular weight inhibitors which could target this novel enzymatic activity in disease. (C) 2009 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc. Volume 35, Number 2, March/April 2009, Pages 165-168 E-mail: seamas.donnelly@ucd.ie