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Association of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) polymorphisms with risk of meningitis from Streptococcus

Sarah Doernberg1, Bernhard Schaaf, Klaus Dalhoff

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, The Anlyan Center, S525, P.O. Box 208031, 300 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8031, USA. sarah.doernberg@ucsf.edu

Cytokine
|January 7, 2011
PubMed

Insights

A specific gene variant for macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) may increase the risk of invasive pneumococcal meningitis. This finding links MIF genotype to severe Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a key proinflammatory cytokine.
  • MIF is encoded by a gene locus with known functional polymorphisms.
  • Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections pose significant public health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.
  • To determine if specific MIF genotypes correlate with the occurrence of pneumococcal meningitis.

Main Methods:

  • Genotyping of the MIF locus in 119 patients.
  • Analysis of the relationship between identified MIF alleles and invasive pneumococcal infection status.
  • Statistical evaluation to assess the significance of observed associations.

Main Results:

  • An association was identified between a high-expression MIF allele and the occurrence of pneumococcal meningitis.
  • The study included 119 patients with invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.

Conclusions:

  • A specific high-expression MIF allele is associated with an increased risk of developing pneumococcal meningitis.
  • MIF genotype may play a role in the pathogenesis of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.

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