Blockage of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) suppressed uric acid-induced vascular inflammation, smooth muscle cell de-differentiation, and remodeling

Hyperuricemia contributes to vascular injury and dysfunction, yet the potential mechanisms are not well understood. Uric acid (UA) has been found to stimulate macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) up-regulation in renal tubules from rats subjected to UA-induced nephropathy. Given that MIF is able to induce vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) de-differentiation (from contractile state to a secretory state), we thus hypothesized that UA-induced vascular injury is via up-regulating of MIF in VSMCs, which enhancing vascular inflammation and VSMC transition. Within a mouse model of UA injection (500 mg/kg, twice/day, 14 days), we measured circulating and vascular MIF levels under UA stimulation at 6 h, day 1, and 14. We tested the efficacy of MIF inhibitor (10 mg/kg, twice/day, 14 days) on UA-induced vascular inflammation and remodeling. High plasma level of UA induced vascular MIF release into the plasma at acute phase. In the chronic phase, the protein level of MIF is up-regulated in the vessels. MIF inhibitor suppressed vascular inflammatory responses, repressed VSMC de-differentiation, and attenuated vascular remodeling and dysfunction following UA stimulation. Knockdown of MIF in cultured VSMCs repressed UA-induced de-differentiation. Our results provided a novel mechanism for MIF-mediated vascular injury in response to UA stimulation, and suggested that anti-MIF interventions may be of therapeutic value in hyperuricemic patients. •Mice with UA injection up-regulated MIF protein levels in vessels.•MIF inhibitor alleviated UA-induced vascular inflammation and VSMC de-differentiation.•MIF inhibitor suppressed UA-induced vascular dysfunction.•Silencing of MIF in rat VSMCs abolished UA-induced VSMC de-differentiation.