Deficiency of macrophage migration inhibitory factor attenuates tau hyperphosphorylation in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease

BACKGROUND: Pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau protein. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a proinflammatory cytokine, has been implicated in the toxicity of aggregated Aβ. It remains unclear whether MIF affects hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau. METHODS: The effects of MIF deficiency in tau hyperphosphorylation were examined in Mif(−/−) mice receiving intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and in APP/PS1 transgenic mice mated with Mif(−/−) mice. MIF expression and astrocyte activation were evaluated in ICV-STZ mice using immunofluorescence staining. Cultured primary astrocytes were treated with high glucose to mimic STZ function in vitro, and the condition medium (CM) was collected. The level of tau hyperphosphorylation in neurons treated with the astrocyte CM was determined using Western blotting. RESULTS: MIF deficiency attenuated tau hyperphosphorylation in mice. ICV injection of STZ increased astrocyte activation and MIF expression in the hippocampus. MIF deficiency attenuated astrocyte activation in ICV-STZ mice. CM from high glucose-treated WT astrocytes increased tau hyperphosphorylation in cultured primary neurons, an effect absent from Mif(−/−) astrocytes and WT astrocytes treated with the MIF inhibitor ISO-1. ISO-1 had no direct effect on tau phosphorylation in cultured primary neurons. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that MIF deficiency is associated with reduced astrocyte activation and tau hyperphosphorylation in the mouse AD models tested. Inhibition of MIF and MIF-induced astrocyte activation may be useful in AD prevention and therapy. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12974-015-0396-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.