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Interleukin-16 in tuberculous and malignant pleural effusions

Dept of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, People's Republic of China

CORRESPONDENCE: H-Z. Shi, Dept of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, P.R. China. Fax: 86 7715359226. E-mail: hzshi@tom.com

Keywords: CD4+ T-cells, interleukin, pleural effusion

Received: July 31, 2004
Accepted December 14, 2004

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.

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