J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2007 Jun;14(2):112-117. 10.4078/jkra.2007.14.2.112.

Upregulation of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Production from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) Stimulated by Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha in Patients with Behcet's Syndrome

• Kwok SK
• Park SH
• Park MK
• Cho ML
• Seo SH
• Ju JH
• Yoon CH
• Kim HY

• KMID: 1526427
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4078/jkra.2007.14.2.112

Abstract

Objective
To investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on the production of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), which might have important roles in the immune mediated inflammatory response of Behcet's syndrome.
Methods
Sixty two patients with Behcet's syndrome and thirty healthy controls were included in this study. The concentrations of TNF-alpha in sera were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from eleven patients with Behcet's syndrome were cultured for 48 hours with various concentration of TNF-alpha. The concentrations of MIF in sera and culture supernatants were determined by ELISA.
Results
Serum levels of TNF-alpha were significantly higher in patients with Behcet's syndrome than in healthy controls. TNF-alpha dose-dependently increased MIF production from PBMCs in patients with Behcet's syndrome. Serum levels of TNF-alpha tended to correlate with serum levels of MIF, although did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion
Upregulation of MIF production by increased levels of TNF-alpha in patients with Behcet's syndrome might be related to the pathogenesis of Behcet's syndrome.

Keyword

Behcet's syndrome; TNF-alpha; MIF

MeSH Terms

Behcet Syndrome*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Macrophages*
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*
Up-Regulation*
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Serum levels of TNF- ff in patients with Behcet's syndrome and healthy controls. Serum levels of TNF- ff were significantly higher in patients with Behcet's syndrome than in healthy controls. ∗p <0.01 versus healthy controls. Serum levels of TNF- ff were higher in patients with active Behcet's syndrome than in patients with inactive Behcet's syndrome, although statistically insignificant (p>0.05).

• 

  Fig. 2. Effect of TNF- ff on macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with Behcet's syndrome (n=4) and healthy controls (n=10). PBMCs were cultured in duplicate for 48 hours with medium alone or in the presence of TNF- σ (0.1 to 1.0 ng/mL). The concentrations of MIF in the culture supernatant were determined by ELISA. TNF- ff dose-dependently increased MIF production from PBMCs in patients with Behcet's syndrome not in healthy controls. ∗p<0.05 versus untreated cells.

• 

  Fig. 3. Correlation of TNF-α concentration with MIF concentration in sera of patients with Behcet's syndrome. Serum TNF-α levels tended to have positive correlation with serum MIF levels, although didn't reach statistical significance (Pearson's correlation coefficient).

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