MIF In Rheumatoid Arthritis

One of the diseases in which the role of MIF is best understood is RA.

RA affects about 1% of adults worldwide and is characterised by increased antigen specific T cell activation, leukocyte recruitment, production of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, and dysregulation of synovial apoptosis.

MIF has been demonstrated to play a role in all these aspects of RA pathogenesis. For example, MIF regulates synovial leukocyte recruitment, and synovial cell expression of TNF, IL-6, IL-8, COX2, cPLA2, via effects on intracellular proteins such as phosphorylated MAP kinases and p53. MIF polymorphisms are associated with the risk of RA and with the development of structural damage. MIF is overexpressed in human RA, MIF-deficient mice are protected from multiple different models of RA, and anti-MIF antibody treatment is effective in these models. Many of these studies were published by Cortical’s scientific founders.

Cortical’s small molecule MIF antagonist compounds have demonstrated efficacy in widely accepted in vivo models of RA.