[Detection and significance of interleukin-16 in sputa from patients with bronchial asthma].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the significance of in the terleukin-16 (IL-16) in pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.


METHODS
Induced sputum samples were obtained from 12 allergic asthmatics, 8 non-allergic asthmatics, 10 non-asthma allergic and 10 non-asthma non-allergic normal subjects. ELISA was used to determine the concentrations of IL-16 in sputum, and CD4+ T cells and activated eosinophils (EG2 cells) in sputum were detected by immunostaining.


RESULTS
IL-16 levels in both allergic and non-allergic asthmatics were much higher than those in non-asthma allergic or non-asthma non-allergic normal subjects. Effective anti-asthma treatment led to a significant decrease in IL-16 levels in patients with acute asthma. It was also found that the percentages of CD4+ and EG2 cells were all positively correlated to IL-16 levels.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-16 is involved in the asthmatic process by recruiting CD4+ T cells and thus plays an important role in CD4+ cell-dependent eosinophilic inflammation in asthmatic airways.
Shi
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 520021.
Liu
G
G
Chen
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D019410:Interleukin-16