Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  2008 Mar;28(1):53-58.

Levels of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) in Korean Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is known to have an important role in innate immunity as a proinflammatory cytokine and also to be involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD).
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the differences in plasma MIF levels between extrinsic and intrinsic AD and the correlation between plasma levels of MIF or total IgE and those of house dust mite (HDM) allergen-specific IgE. METHOD: The plasma MIF level was measured in 116 healthy controls and 265 AD patients by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. The plasma total IgE level was also measured by nephelometry and the HDM allergen-specific IgE level was measured by fluoroenzyme immunoassay. RESULT: The plasma MIF level and the log total IgE level were significantly increased in AD patients compared with those of control subjects (P=0.0028 and P<0.0001, respectively). The plasma MIF concentration in AD patients positively correlated with the D. farinae-specific IgE score (r=0.17, P<0.01) and was significantly higher in patients with extrinsic AD than that in intrinsic AD (P=0.0135).
CONCLUSION
The plasma MIF level in extrinsic AD should be further investigated with a larger number of AD patients in terms of other confounding factors. The plasma MIF level can be considered a possible clinical parameter in extrinsic AD.

MeSH Terms

Dermatitis, Atopic
Humans
Immunity, Innate
Immunoglobulin E
Macrophages
Nephelometry and Turbidimetry
Plasma
Pyroglyphidae
Immunoglobulin E