Interleukin-16 expression in the peripheral blood and CD8 T lymphocytes after traumatic injury.
BACKGROUND
Expressed in several pathologic conditions, interleukin (IL-16) can induce chemotaxis and regulate the activation of CD4-positive leukocytes. This study investigated the expression of IL-16 in trauma patient plasma and peripheral blood leukocytes to determine its involvement in the physiologic response to injury.


METHODS
In this study, 25 consecutive patients requiring trauma team activation and 15 noninjured subjects were evaluated for plasma IL-16 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and peripheral blood leukocyte expression of intracellular cytokine by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Trauma patient plasma IL-16 was transiently increased after injury in comparison with levels in noninjured control subjects. In patients with worse outcome, both peripheral blood T lymphocyte intracellular IL-16 levels and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratios were lower than those for less severely injured patients and control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Posttraumatic changes in IL-16 expression were found to be associated with worse patient outcome, suggesting an innate immune mechanism with a role in regulation of the T lymphocyte response to injury.
Shimonkevitz
Richard
R
Trauma Research Department, HealthOne Swedish Medical Center, Englewood, CO 80113, USA.
Northrop
Jobeth
J
Harris
Lisbeth
L
Craun
Michael
M
Bar-Or
David
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D019410:Interleukin-16