LAUSR

Emerging evidence points to interactions between inflammatory markers and stress reactivity in predicting mental health risk, but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in inflammatory signaling and Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis stress-response, and has recently been identified as a candidate biomarker for depression and anxiety risk. We examined polymorphic variations of the MIF gene in association with baseline MIF levels, HPA axis reactivity, and self-reported anxiety responses to a social stressor in 74 adolescents, ages 10-14 years. Genotyping was performed for two polymorphisms, the -794 CATT5-8 tetranucleotide repeat and the -173*G/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Youth carrying the MIF-173*C and CATT7 alleles displayed attenuated cortisol reactivity when compared with non-carriers. Children with the CATT7-173*C haplotype displayed lower cortisol reactivity to the stressor compared to those without this haplotype. Additionally, the CATT5-173*C and CATT6-173*C haplotypes were associated with lower self-reported anxiety ratings across the stressor. Results extend prior work pointing to the influence of MIF signaling on neuroendocrine response to stress and suggest a potential pathophysiological pathway underlying risk for stress-related physical and mental health disorders. To our knowledge, these are the first data showing associations between the MIF gene, HPA axis reactivity, and anxiety symptoms during adolescence.