Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor -173 G/C Polymorphism is Not Associated with An Increased Risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Neonates in NICU

Background: Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among preterm neonates. To identify subsets of neonates at high risk of NEC is a challenge. Local pro-inflammatory response of the host could be of relevance in the still unclear pathogenesis of NEC. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, implicated in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as chronic colitis and gastric inflammation. The MIF promoter contains a functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) G/C at position -173. The MIF -173 C allele is associated with higher MIF expression in vitro.