Pathogenic role for macrophage migration inhibitory factor in glioblastoma and its targeting with specific inhibitors as novel tailored therapeutic approach

// Katia Mangano 1 , Emanuela Mazzon 2 , Maria Sofia Basile 1 , Roberto Di Marco 3 , Placido Bramanti 2 , Santa Mammana 2 , Maria Cristina Petralia 1, 4 , Paolo Fagone 1 and Ferdinando Nicoletti 1 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy 2 IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy 3 Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy 4 Department of Formative Processes, University of Catania, Catania, Italy Correspondence to: Ferdinando Nicoletti, email: ferdinic@unict.it Keywords: macrophage migration Inhibitory factor; glioblastoma; brain tumors; neuro-oncology; D-DT Received: November 30, 2017      Accepted: March 08, 2018      Published: April 03, 2018 ABSTRACT Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed by a variety of cell types. Although MIF has been primarily studied for its role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, it has also been shown to promote tumorigenesis and it is over expressed in various malignant tumors. MIF is able to induce angiogenesis, cell cycle progression, and to block apoptosis. As tailored therapeutic approaches for the inhibition of endogenous MIF are being developed, it is important to evaluate the role of MIF in individual neoplastic conditions that may benefit from specific MIF inhibitors. Along with this line, in this paper, we have reviewed the evidence of the involvement of MIF in the etiopathogenesis and progression of glioblastoma and the preclinical data suggesting the possible use of specific MIF inhibition as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for brain tumors.