Murine monoclonal antibodies directed against human recombinant Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) is a crucial component of the immune system acting together with glucocorticosteroids to regulate immunity and inflammation. Understanding of its many putative functions and action mechanisms is still ambiguous. Due to the newest findings that a local MIF expression is up regulated in allograft rejection and in glomerulonephritis, an interest in MIF research is increasing and is focused on possibilities of anti-MIF treatment. In the present work new murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against human recombinant MIF (hrMIF) are described. hrMIF protein used for the immunisation was tested for its biological activity and has evident macrophage migration inhibitory activity. The selected MAbs were purified and further characterised. They recognised MIF in a Western blot experiment after a native IEF. Anti-MIF MAb designated as M1 inhibited MIF activity in the test, which was performed in the 48 well Boyden chamber system. It is presumed that M1 MAb could be used as a potential therapeutic agent.