Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the stratum corneum: a marker of the local severity of atopic dermatitis.

Different biomarkers are used to evaluate the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD); however, it remains difficult to determine the severity of localized skin lesions. MIF plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of skin inflammation. To establish whether the MIF level in the stratum corneum (SC) serves as a marker of the severity of AD lesions, we examined the SC MIF (scMIF) levels in AD patients. The SC of the cheek, neck and upper arm skin was collected using tape stripping, and the scMIF levels were measured. Consequently, the scMIF levels were found to be significantly higher in the involved skin lesions than the uninvolved areas within the same patient. Moreover, the scMIF levels were significantly correlated with the severity of local skin lesions. These findings suggest that the scMIF level can be used as an effective marker for evaluating the local severity of AD.