Interleukin 16 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Lupus Nephritis

Abstract

Background  Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disease with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, from mild to life-threatening conditions. Interleukin 16 is an immunomodulatory cytokine with reported roles in several autoimmune conditions and was identified as the most significantly enriched cytokine in both lupus erythematosus skin lesions and lupus nephritis urine proteomes.

Objective  To review the biological characteristics of interleukin 16 and its reported roles in systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis, and other immune-mediated diseases, with emphasis on disease activity, renal histopathology, treatment response, and its potential utility as a urinary biomarker.

Conclusion  Recent urinary proteomic studies have revealed a consistent elevation in interleukin 16 in the urine of patients with active lupus nephritis. An early decline in urinary interleukin 16 correlated with treatment response, and urinary interleukin 16 can distinguish between proliferative and pure membranous lupus nephritis. Its abundance also correlated with renal biopsy analyses, supporting its utility as a biomarker for monitoring intrarenal immune activity.