Abstract

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Protects the Brain in a Mouse Model of Ischemic Stroke

Author(s): Joe Kong*

It is not clear how the macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) in vivo protects neurons. An in vivo ischemic stroke mouse model was used to see if the MIF helped the brain recover. In order to create an ischemic stroke mouse model, transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) surgery was carried out. A sham vehicle, a sham MIF, a Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) vehicle and an MCAO+MIF group were assigned to male mice. The vehicle and MIF were administered intra cerebroventricularly in the MCAO groups during transient MCAO (tMCAO). The rotarod test, the neurological functional scale, and T₂ weighted magnetic resonance imaging were examined. The expression levels of Bcl2, Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Microtubule Associated Protein 2 (MAP2) were also measured using eastern blot assay. In comparison to the MCAO+vehicle group, the Garcia test was significantly higher in the MCAO+MIF group. In addition to having a significantly smaller total infarct volume on T₂ weighted MRI imaging than the MCAO vehicle group, the MCAO+MIF group performed on patients.