Serum interleukin-16 level in systemic lupus erythematosus

To detect serum interleukin-16 level in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and to find out its correlation with disease activity. The study included 30 female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. 20 apparently healthy females with matched age represent the control group. All patients subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical assessment of disease activity using SLE Disease Activity Index [SLEDAI] serum level of IL-16 mere examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. Serum level of interleukin-16 [IL-16] was significantly increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus compared to controls and there was a significant positive correlation between IL-16 levels and disease activity assessed by the SLEDAI score. Circulating IL-16 levels are high in SLE patients and are correlated with the disease activity so serum level of IL-16 can be used as a useful indicator of SLE disease activity

role of interleukin 16 in the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis [RA] is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by hyperplasia of the synovium and excessive cellular infiltration, which leads to progressive joint destruction. We analyzed, interleukin 16 [IL16], in relation to disease activity to characterize its biologic function in RA. Secreted IL-16 was measured by enzyme immunoassay in sera from 30 RA patients and 30 healthy controls [HC], and also in synovial fluid [SF] from 16 RA patients and 15 patients with non-RA synovitis as controls. IL-16 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] was characterized by flow cytometric analysis after intracellular cytokine staining for IL-16. In synovial tissue specimens, both were done: Immunohistochemistry for localization of IL-16, and histopathology, in which the tissue scored semiquantitatively for synovial hyperplasia and cellular infiltration. IL-16 was detected at significantly higher levels in sera and SF of RA patients in comparison to HC and non-RA synovitis [p<0.001 and p<0.0001 respectively]. Also, IL-16 was detected significantly higher in SF in comparison to sera in RA patients [p<0.001]. Flow cytometry of PBMC showed that a great proportion of both CD4+ and CD8+ cells expressed IL-16 protein. Also, immunohistochemistry revealed more CD4+ and less frequency of CD8+ cells in synovial infiltration. A significant correlation between IL-16 expression and local inflammatory activity could not be established [p>0.21] by microscopic analysis of the synovial cells infiltrate. In addition, no significant association was observed between serum, SF, and synovial tissue expression of IL-16 and clinical disease activity in RA [p>0.61, p>0.5 and p>0.42 respectively]. This indicated that, IL-16 played a regulatory rather than a proin-flammatory role in the immunopathogenesis of RA

Study of Interleukin-16 in Bronchoalveolar lavage of Smokers with and without chronic bronchitis

The study included 30 subjects [10 case of healthy smokers with no chest symptoms, 10 cases of smokers with chronic bronchitis and ten healthy non smokers as control group]. The result of this study showed highly significant statistical increase in the level of IL- 16 in BAL and serum of smokers with or without chronic bronchitis compared to control group [P < 0.001, P < 0.0001 respectively] but no significant statistical difference in its level in BAL and serum of smokers with and without chronic bronchitis [P < 0.05, P > 0.05 respectively]. Also, there was no significant correlation between serum and BAL IL- 16 level in non smokers and smokers without chronic bronchitis [P< 0.05] but there was a significant correlation between them in smokers with chronic bronchitis [P< 0.05]. We concluded that, BAL and serum IL- 16 levels are significantly higher in smokers, [even if they are asymptomatic] than in non smokers, this fact must make us to focus on the danger of smoking in the community