Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is an essential immunoregulatory cytokine in atopic dermatitis

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is one of the immunoregulatory cytokines involved in T-cell activation and delayed-type hypersensitivity. To elucidate involvement of this cytokine in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD), we examined serum MIF concentrations of patients with AD and non-atopic normal healthy individuals. The mean serum MIF concentration of the AD patients (n = 36) was 36.4 +/- 3.7 ng/ml (mean +/- SEM), whereas that of the non-atopic dermatitis patients (n = 17) or healthy individuals (n = 61) were 13.1 +/- 1.8 or 6.5 +/- 0.45 ng/ml, respectively. Accordingly, immunohistochemistry of the inflammatory skin lesion of an AD patient demonstrated that MIF protein was diffusely expressed throughout the whole epidermal layer. After 4-week steroid ointment treatment, the MIF concentration decreased as clinical symptoms improved. The serum level of TNF-alpha was also decreased in parallel with that of MIF. Considering the T-cell dysfunction and disordered cytokine-network reported in AD, it was strongly suggested that MIF was a critical protein for immunoregulation in the pathophysiological mechanism of AD. In this context, MIF may become a useful laboratory parameter to comprehend the clinical course of the disease.