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 / 대한류마티스학회지

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.