Autoimmune diseases: MIF as a therapeutic target

Areas covered in this review: Our aim is to discuss MIF-directed therapies as a novel therapeutic approach. The review covers literature from the past 10 years. What the reader will gain: MIF inhibition has been shown to be efficacious in many experimental and pre-clinical studies of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. The close regulatory relationship between MIF and glucocorticoids makes therapeutic antagonism of MIF a potential steroid-sparing therapy in patients with refractory autoimmune diseases. Take home message: We expect that MIF antagonism by either small-molecule- or antibody-based approaches will find wide application in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Such therapy also may be informed by the MIF genotype of affected patients.