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34/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 34 out of 100. Biomarkers

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a multifunctional cytokine and has been found involved in many neurological diseases such as Alzheimer disease (AD), epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. Previous studies have shown that MIF is expressed in neocortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, cerebellum, and spinal cord in adult mice. It is expressed by astrocytes and activates microglias in neuroinflammation. Further studies have shown that MIF is detected in moss fibers of dentate granule cells and in apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons in adult hippocampus. Only NeuroD-positive immature granule neurons but not NeuN-positive mature neurons express MIF. These findings led us eager to know the exact role of MIF in the development of hippocampus. Therefore, we systematically checked the spatial and temporal expression pattern of MIF and characterized MIF-positive cells in hippocampus from mice aged from postnatal day 0 (P0) to 3 months. Our results showed that the lowest level of MIF protein occurred at P7 and mif mRNA increased from P0, reached a peak at P7, and stably expressed until P30 before declining dramatically at 3 months. MIF was localized in fibers of GFAP- and BLBP-positive radial glial precursor cells in dentate gyrus (DG). DCX-expressing newly generated neurons were MIF-negative. Inhibition of MIF by MIF antagonist S, R-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4, 5-dihydro-5-isoxazole acetic acid methyl ester (ISO-1) reduced BrdU-positive cells. Interestingly, MIF was expressed by NeuN-positive GABAergic interneurons including parvalbumin-and Reelin-expressing cells in the DG. Neither NeuN-positive granule cells nor NeuN-positive pyramidal neurons expressed MIF. In transgenic mice, POMC-EGFP-positive immature dentate granule cells and Thy1-EGFP-positive mature granule cells were MIF-negative. Treatment of neuronal cultures with ISO-1 inhibited neurite outgrowth. Therefore, we conclude that MIF might be important for feature maintenance of neural stem cells and neurite outgrowth during hippocampal development.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Chai, X., Zhang, W., Li, L., Wu, Y., Zhu, X., & Zhao, S. (2020). Profile of MIF in Developing Hippocampus: Association With Cell Proliferation and Neurite Outgrowth. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2020.00147

Vancouver

Chai X, Zhang W, Li L, Wu Y, Zhu X, Zhao S. Profile of MIF in Developing Hippocampus: Association With Cell Proliferation and Neurite Outgrowth. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience. 2020. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2020.00147. PMID: 32903462.

BibTeX

@article{chai2020-32903462,
  author  = {Chai, X. and Zhang, W. and Li, L. and Wu, Y. and Zhu, X. and Zhao, S.},
  title   = {{Profile of MIF in Developing Hippocampus: Association With Cell Proliferation and Neurite Outgrowth}},
  journal = {Frontiers in molecular neuroscience},
  year    = {2020},
  doi     = {10.3389/fnmol.2020.00147},
  pmid    = {32903462},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2020.00147}
}

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Key findings

Previous studies have shown that MIF is expressed in neocortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, cerebellum, and spinal cord in adult mice.
Further studies have shown that MIF is detected in moss fibers of dentate granule cells and in apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons in adult hippocampus.
These findings led us eager to know the exact role of MIF in the development of hippocampus.
Our results showed that the lowest level of MIF protein occurred at P7 and mif mRNA increased from P0, reached a peak at P7, and stably expressed until P30 before declining dramatically at 3 months.
Therefore, we conclude that MIF might be important for feature maintenance of neural stem cells and neurite outgrowth during hippocampal development.

Why it matters

This study describes where and when the protein MIF appears in the developing mouse hippocampus and how blocking it affects cell growth in the lab. It is early animal and cell work and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention in people.

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Study details

Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 34/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in molecular neuroscience)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience: journal h-index 143 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	2 / 5	2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	0 / 4	Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	0 / 3	Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	3 / 7	Cited 15 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	1 / 5	1.9 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020
Impact for its field and year	1 / 6	Cited 1.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	1 / 4	Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Shanting Zhao: h-index 32 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	Northwest A&F University: institution h-index 447 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32903462)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	34 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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