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Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor / GDF15 and Related Biomarkers · Journal article
Biomedical Reports · August 6, 2026
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This cross-sectional study reports that serum MIF levels correlate with markers of chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction (obesity, elevated waist-to-hip ratio, hypertension) in women, but found no association with breast cancer risk as assessed by imaging. The work is descriptive and hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory; it does not establish MIF as a clinical biomarker.
Cross-sectional observational study. Women; no specific eligibility criteria, setting, or recruitment details reported.. Intervention: Measurement of serum MIF by ELISA; assessment of metabolic and imaging characteristics..
MIF serum levels ranged 80.7 to 4,790.5 pg/ml in the studied population High MIF associated with obesity (median 1,604.0 pg/ml, P=0.0197 vs overweight; P=0.0002 vs normal BMI) High MIF associated with elevated waist-to-hip ratio (median 1,542.0 pg/ml, P=0.0126) and hypertension (median 1,582.0 pg/ml, P=0.0234)
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This study does not yet support clinical use of MIF as a cancer risk biomarker or treatment target. It suggests MIF may reflect metabolic inflammation, but prospective studies with clinical outcomes and validated assays are needed before implementation in practice.
Single-center observational study with cross-sectional design measuring serum biomarker associations in women; establishes correlation with metabolic risk factors but lacks prospective outcome data, control groups, or mechanistic validation to support clinical decision-making.
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This study does not yet support clinical use of MIF as a cancer risk biomarker or treatment target. It suggests MIF may reflect metabolic inflammation, but prospective studies with clinical outcomes and validated assays are needed before implementation in practice.
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Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with multiple functions in the immune system and other tissues.Physiologically, MIF has been implicated in the regulation of the immune response, in pathogen clearance, in cell regeneration, in the regulation of insulin secretion, and in the regulation of cardio-and neuro-protective effects.Pathologically, high MIF levels have been associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity and cancer.The present study assessed serum MIF levels in women by ELISA.Subsequently, the possible relationship between MIF serum levels and risk factors associated with the development of breast and other types of cancer was evaluated.MIF serum levels in the studied population ranged between 80.7 and 4,790.5 pg/ml.Notably, high MIF serum levels were related to obesity (median 1,604.0pg/ml; P= 0.0197 vs. overweight and P= 0.0002 vs. normal body mass index), a high waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; median 1,542.0pg/ml; P= 0.0126 vs. moderate WHR) and hypertension (median 1,582.0pg/ml; P= 0.0234).Also, a weak correlation was observed between MIF levels and aging (P= 0.0239, r= 0.1558).Furthermore, MIF levels were decreased in women with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification 2 (P= 0.0189) and 3 (P= 0.0023) when compared with the levels in women with BI-RADS classification 1, and no other association was identified with the other cancer risk factors evaluated.In conclusion, the present results indicated that, although increased levels of MIF were not associated with increased breast cancer risk as evaluated by BI-RADS classification or other cancer risk factors, elevated MIF levels were related to states of chronic inflammation such as obesity, a high WHR and aging, indicating that an increase in the serum concentration of MIF may be related to metabolic disease.
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