Circulating interleukin-16 in systemic lupus erythematosus.
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.
Lee
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kaneko
H
H
Sekigawa
I
I
Tokano
Y
Y
Takasaki
Y
Y
Hashimoto
H
H
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