Investigation of serum macrophage migration inhibitor factor and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels in irritable bowel syndrome

Aim: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional disorder of the bowel, has been thought to result from immune activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MMIF) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in IBS patients. Materials and methods: We enrolled 30 IBS patients and 30 healthy controls. The MMIF and MCP-1 levels of all patients and controls were detected using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Serum MMIF and MCP-1 levels were markedly higher in IBS patients than in controls. White blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil counts did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: These results show that alterations in MMIF and MCP-1 affect the proinflammatory process. They also suggest that MMIF and MCP-1 may play a substantial role in IBS.