title: Introduction of pro-interleukin-16 inhibits T-lymphoblastic leukemia growth in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pro-interleukin-16 (pro-IL-16) is the precursor to mature interleukin-16 (IL-16) protein. Previous studies have demonstrated that pro-IL-16 can function as a regulator of cell cycle. A number of human T-cell leukemia and lymphoma cell lines are pro-IL-16 deficient. Intracellular expression of pro-IL-16 causes these cell lines to become quiescent, implicating loss of pro-IL-16 as a contributory step in T-cell malignancy. Therefore, we tested whether or not reintroduction of pro-IL-16 into solid tumors in mice could halt tumor growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  MOLT-4 lymphoblastic leukemia cells were stably transfected with a dsRed-tomato virus and were injected subcutaneously into NOD/SCID/γ chain-knockout mice. Tumor growth was monitored with an in vivo imaging system. A pro-IL-16-GFP fusion virus or control GFP only virus was injected into the tumors, and mice were monitored for 1 week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Injection of the pro-IL-16-containing lentivirus inhibited growth of established MOLT-4 tumors in mice. Tumor explants exhibited diminished proliferative capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data support the concept that restoration of pro-IL-16 expression in malignant T cells may have therapeutic value.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Jillian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richmond
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Studwell
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cruikshank
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000235:genetics*; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D054218:Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D019410:Interleukin-16; D011498:Protein Precursors; C105950:interleukin 16 precursor