AIF1: Function and Connection with Inflammatory Diseases
by
, , , , and
Diego De Leon-Oliva
1,2,†,
Cielo Garcia-Montero
1,2,†,
Oscar Fraile-Martinez
1,2,*,
Diego Liviu Boaru
1,2,
Luis García-Puente
1,2,
Antonio Rios-Parra
1,2,3,
Maria J. Garrido-Gil
1,
Carlos Casanova-Martín
1,2,
Natalio García-Honduvilla
1,2
,
Julia Bujan
1,2
,
Luis G. Guijarro
1,2,4, 
Melchor Alvarez-Mon
1,2,5
and
Miguel A. Ortega
1,2,3,*
1
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain
2
Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
3
Cancer Registry and Pathology Department, Principe de Asturias University Hospital, 28806 Alcala de Henares, Spain
4
Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of System Biology (CIBEREHD), University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain
5
Immune System Diseases-Rheumatology, Oncology Service an Internal Medicine (CIBEREHD), University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, 28806 Alcala de Henares, Spain
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Biology 2023, 12(5), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12050694
Submission received: 30 March 2023
/
Revised: 29 April 2023
/
Accepted: 8 May 2023
/
Published: 9 May 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Activation of Macrophages)
Simple Summary
Allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF1) is a calcium-binding protein that participates in intracellular processes such as phagocytosis, membrane ruffling and F-actin remodeling. Due to its multiple functions, AIF1 is linked with the activation of macrophages and several diseases such as kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, neurological disorders and transplants. In this review, we present a comprehensive review of the known structure, functions and role of AIF1 in inflammatory diseases.
Abstract
Macrophages are a type of immune cell distributed throughout all tissues of an organism. Allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF1) is a calcium-binding protein linked to the activation of macrophages. AIF1 is a key intracellular signaling molecule that participates in phagocytosis, membrane ruffling and F-actin polymerization. Moreover, it has several cell type-specific functions. AIF1 plays important roles in the development of several diseases: kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases and neurological disorders, and in transplants. In this review, we present a comprehensive review of the known structure, functions and role of AIF1 in inflammatory diseases.
