FUNDAMENTAL IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AND MIF

Abstract

Fundamental immunobiology of proinflammatory cytokines and MIFThere are a lot of similarity as well as differences when we compare cytokines with MIF according their biological properties. MIF characteristics are unique structure, organs and tissues ubiquity, extremely wide variety of functions (proinflammatory cytokine, enzyme, hormone), ability to be induced by glucocorticoid hormones and affects as their immunosuppressive effects antagonist. MIF exists in preformed condition in lymphocytes, macrophages and endothelium cells. It secrets by these cells and operates as a mobilizing defense system factor in the first minutes of foreign invasion. MIF exhibits the properties of super-ligand binding with many biologically important molecules. This factor carries out the functions that are important for cell activation, proliferation and death, using a variety of intracellular signaling pathways. Some of MIF homologues exists in plants and bacteria earlier than innate and adaptive immune systems appears in evolution. In ontogenesis MIF appears at the stage of firsts cell divisions. MIF has a lot of functions, variety of ligand bindings, many effector pathways, it appears early in ontogeny and phylogeny. MIF takes part into protective reactions at any levels – from cell up to whole organism. All these MIF features taking together into account make it possible to possess it as a particular type of cytokine – eocytokine (from Greek word “eo” – early). It is assumed that MIF may function as some kind of cells and organisms "natural stability" key factor.