Here, we assessed the physiological relevance of MIF in spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice and in human T1D disease by comprehensively assessing circulating and local (pancreatic) MIF levels as well as the transmembrane expression of CD74 on circulating human T1D monocytes and murine pancreatic diabetes-prone NOD macrophages. The gene discussed is MIF; the disease is type 1 diabetes mellitus.