MIF and hyperlipidemia: Whereas MIF is only detectable at low levels in healthy vessels, hyperlipidemia strongly enhances MIF expression in ECs, SMCs, monocytes, and T-cells in atherosclerotic lesions (Lin et al., 2000; Burger-Kentischer et al., 2002, 2006), and an even further upregulation during atheroprogression suggested a role for MIF in plaque destabilization (Burger-Kentischer et al., 2002) (Table 5).