{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T14:41:19Z","timestamp":1774449679013,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":108,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,6]],"date-time":"2020-03-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1583452800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"IRCCS Centro Neurolesi \u2018Bonino Pulejo\u2019, Messina-Italy","award":["Current research funds 2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Current research funds 2019"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequent extracranial pediatric tumor. Despite the current available multiple therapeutic options, the prognosis for high-risk NB patients remains unsatisfactory and makes the disease a clear unmet medical need. Thus, more tailored therapeutic approaches are warranted to improve both the quality of life and the survival of the patients. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a key role in several diseases, including cancer. Preclinical and clinical studies in NB patients convergently indicate that MIF exerts pro-tumorigenic properties in NB. MIF is upregulated in NB tumor tissues and cell lines and it contributes to NB aggressiveness and immune-escape. To date, there are only a few data about the role of the second member of the MIF family, the MIF homolog d-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), in NB. Here, we review the preclinical and clinical studies on the role of the MIF family of cytokines in NB and suggest that MIF and possibly DDT inhibitors may be promising novel prognostic and therapeutic targets in NB management.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules25051194","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,9]],"date-time":"2020-03-09T07:15:26Z","timestamp":1583738126000},"page":"1194","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":37,"title":["Emerging Role of the Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Family of Cytokines in Neuroblastoma. Pathogenic Effectors and Novel Therapeutic Targets?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Eugenio","family":"Cavalli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rosella","family":"Ciurleo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Centro Neurolesi \u201cBonino-Pulejo\u201d, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria Cristina","family":"Petralia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Via Teatro Greco 84, 95124 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6694-1992","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paolo","family":"Fagone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8332-6863","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rita","family":"Bella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5920-4620","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katia","family":"Mangano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4570-8462","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ferdinando","family":"Nicoletti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Placido","family":"Bramanti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Centro Neurolesi \u201cBonino-Pulejo\u201d, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4811-4694","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Sofia","family":"Basile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. 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