In vivo blockade of macrophage migration inhibitory factor ameliorates acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by impairing the homing of encephalitogenic T cells to the central nervous system.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine that plays a critical role in the regulation of macrophage effector functions and T cell activation. However, its role in the pathogenesis of T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), has remained unresolved. In this study, we report that anti-MIF Ab treatment of SJL mice with acute EAE improved the disease severity and accelerated the recovery.