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Up‐regulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in infants with acute neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis
Author(s) -
Ren Y,
Lin C L,
Li Z,
Chen X Y,
Huang X,
Lui V,
Nicholls J,
Lan H Y,
Tam P K H
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2005.02159.x
Subject(s) - macrophage migration inhibitory factor , necrotizing enterocolitis , pathogenesis , macrophage , cytokine , immunology , in situ hybridization , immunohistochemistry , secretion , inflammation , medicine , enterocolitis , interleukin 6 , tumor necrosis factor alpha , biology , in vitro , gene expression , gene , biochemistry
Aims: To investigate the role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and its downstream cytokine cascade in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods and results: The expression of MIF mRNA and protein in NEC guts was assayed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Concentrations of MIF, interleukin (IL)‐6 and IL‐8 in the serum and in the supernatant of macrophage cultures were examined by ELISA. Increased expression of MIF mRNA and protein was observed in the NEC guts, mainly in the infiltrating macrophages in the mucosa and submucosal layers. Up‐regulation of MIF was associated with the accumulation of macrophages and T cells. In addition, serum levels of MIF, IL‐6 and IL‐8 in NEC patients during the acute stage of the disease were significantly increased. The expression of MIF decreased both locally and systemically after the disease was resolved. MIF was also found to increase the secretion of IL‐6 and IL‐8 by macrophages isolated from healthy individuals in vitro in NEC. Conclusions: MIF acts by stimulating macrophage production of IL‐6 and IL‐8. This further aggravates the inflammatory process by increasing the infiltration of neutrophils and activating inflammatory cells. The results of this study suggest that MIF plays an important role in the pathogenesis of NEC and may serve as a target for therapeutic intervention in NEC.