Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (15): 2395-2403.doi: 10.12307/2023.355

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Role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor for stem cells

Zheng Xiaohan1, 2, 3, Wei Yanzhao1, 2, 3, Huang Ting1, 2, 3, Wei Xufang2, Sun Shengtong2, Wang Tan1, Zhao Zhenqiang1   

  1. 1Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China; 2Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China; 3Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Brain Research and Translation, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China
  • Received:2022-04-21 Accepted:2022-06-27 Online:2023-05-28 Published:2022-10-18
  • Contact: Zhao Zhenqiang, MD, Chief physician, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China Wang Tan, MD, Chief physician, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China
  • About author:Zheng Xiaohan, Master candidate, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China; Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China; Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Brain Research and Translation, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81860238 (to ZZQ); Hainan Provincial Key Research & Development Program, No. ZDYF2018233 (to ZZQ); Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province, No. 821RC694 (to ZZQ); Hainan Provincial Clinical Medical Center Construction Project, No. [2021]276; Hainan Provincial Postgraduate Innovative Research Project, No. [2021] 116 (to ZXH)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Stem cells are self-renewing cells with differentiation potential and stem cell therapy is a promising therapeutic approach. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is expressed in almost all mammalian cells and is essential for many physiological processes. Current studies have demonstrated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor is expressed on a variety of stem cells and regulates the proliferation, differentiation and migration of many stem cells.  
OBJECTIVE: To describe the basic characteristics of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and to elaborate on the role and mechanism of macrophage migration inhibitory factor on stem cells.
METHODS: PubMed and CNKI databases were searched for relevant articles published in the past ten years. The key words were “macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cancer stem cell, embryonic stem cell, neural stem cell, mesenchymal stem cell, endothelial progenitor cell, stem cell therapy, tissue engineering” in Chinese and English, respectively. After removal of poorly related, outdated, and duplicate studies by reading the title and abstract, 85 articles were finally included in result analysis.  
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Macrophage migration inhibitory factor protein consists of three subunits that interact on the cell surface by interacting with receptors CD74, CD44, CXCR2, CXCR4 and CXCR7. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is stored intracellularly and secreted through non-classical pathways, and a variety of factors can affect macrophage migration inhibitory factor expression as well as secretion. (2) Macrophage migration inhibitory factor promotes migration, invasion, metastasis, escape and tumorigenicity of tumor stem cells through different signaling pathways. (3) Currently, it is relatively clear that macrophage migration inhibitory factor promotes neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. (4) Macrophage migration inhibitory factor promotes the proliferation and survival of neural stem cells through multiple signaling pathways. (5) Macrophage migration inhibitory factor acts on mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit apoptosis, promote survival, delay senescence, and increase paracrine effects of mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, macrophage migration inhibitory factor has also been shown to inhibit mesenchymal stem cell homing by binding to the receptor CD74. (6) Several studies have demonstrated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor activates downstream signaling pathways through CXCR4 receptors to promote endothelial cell migration and revascularization. (7) Macrophage migration inhibitory factor acts on tumor stem cells, embryonic stem cells, neural stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelial progenitor cells to affect their proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis processes. Some of these effects are still controversial, and the exact mechanisms need to be further verified.  

Key words: macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cancer stem cell, embryonic stem cell, mesenchymal stem cell, neural stem cell, endothelial progenitor, stem cell therapy, tissue engineering

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