title: Interleukin-16 in tuberculous and malignant pleural effusions.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the presence of interleukin (IL)-16 in pleural effusions, the correlation between IL-16 levels and cytological parameters, as well as the chemoattractant activity of IL-16 on CD4+ T-lymphocytes. Total nucleated cell and differential counts, and IL-16 concentrations in the pleural effusion from 32 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 30 patients with lung cancer were determined. Three-colour flow cytometry was performed to determine T-lymphocyte subsets in cell pellets of pleural effusion. The chemoattractant activity of IL-16 for CD4+ T-lymphocytes was also analysed. The levels of IL-16 were significantly higher in tuberculous than in malignant effusions. However, IL-16 levels could not be used for diagnostic purposes due to significant overlap between the two groups. Positive correlations were found between the IL-16 levels and CD4+ T-cells, and pleural fluid was chemotactic for CD4+ T-cells in vitro. Intrapleural administration of IL-16 to patients produced a marked progressive influx of CD4+ T-cells into the pleural space. Compared with malignant pleural effusion, interleukin-16 appeared to be increased in tuberculous pleural effusion. Interleukin-16 levels were positively related to the numbers of CD4+ T-cells, and interleukin-16 could directly induce CD4+ T-cell infiltration into the pleural space.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: X-J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: H-Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Z-X
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: L-F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: W-N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000032:analysis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000737:chemistry*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000737:chemistry; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019410:Interleukin-16