Regulation of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor ForHealing of Tendons and Ligaments

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There have been no reports that investigated the expression or the role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the repair process after ligament injury. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that that the deficiency in MIF gene might delay medial collateral ligament (MCL) healing. The present study showed that the levels of mechanical properties and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -13 mRNA in the healing tissue were significantly lower in MIF gene-deficient mice (MIFKO) than in wild-type mice (WT) on day 28 after injury. Histologically, healing tissues in MIFKO exhibited prolonged hypertrophy, poor vascularity, and prolonged increase in cell number compared with those in WT. Taken together, it was suggested that MIFKO exhibited delayed healing of the MCL, which might be caused by lower mRNA expression of MMP-2 and -13.