title: Circulating interleukin-16 in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between interleukin (IL)-16 and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of IL-16 were examined in SLE patients using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum level of IL-16 in the patients was much higher than that in healthy volunteers (P < 0.001). An increase in IL-16 was observed in proportion to the activity of SLE assessed by the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations suggest an interaction between disease activity and the production of IL-16 in SLE, and reveal that IL-16 is a useful indicator of disease activity. This is the first report describing the relationship between IL-16 and SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sekigawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged