Interleukin-16 network in inflammation and allergy.
Interleukin (IL)-16 is a homotetramer of 14-kDa subunits discovered in 1982 as a T-cell-specific chemoattractant factor. IL-16 plays a role in trafficking of several immune cells and may be a major chemotactic signal for CD4+ cells. Here, we review some of the key biological actions of IL-16. Because this cytokine has been shown to affect the levels of many inflammatory mediators such as histamine, serotonin, regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and other cytokines such as IL-2, we investigated the effect of IL-16 on control and stimulated human umbilical cord blood-derived cultured mast cells after antigen challenge. We found that human recombinant IL-16 (0.2-200 ng/mL) does not affect either basal tryptase or IL-8 release or that induced by anti-immunoglobulin E activation. In accordance with other data in the medical literature, we conclude that the most important function of IL-16 is the chemoattraction of CD4+ cells.
Conti
Pio
P
Immunology Division, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, Chieti, Italy.
Kempuraj
Duraisamy
D
Kandere
Kristiana
K
Di Gioacchino
Mario
M
Reale
Marcella
M
Barbacane
Renato C
RC
Castellani
Maria L
ML
Mortari
Umberto
U
Boucher
William
W
Letourneau
Richard
R
Theoharides
Theoharis C
TC
D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D019410:Interleukin-16