Molecular cloning and expression of feline interleukin-16

Human IL-16 (hIL-16) is a homotetrameric cytokine with chemotactic properti es towards cells expressing the CD4 receptor. This chemotactic cytokine pla ys an important role in attracting cells of the immune system to the site w here CD8(+) T-cells were activated for example by a foreign antigen. In add ition to the chemotactic activity, hIL-16 also induces expression of IL-2 r eceptor, increasing the responsiveness to IL-2 and therefore implying a rol e for specific expansion of the CD4(+) T-cell population in an area of indu ced inflammation. in this report we describe the cloning, sequencing and th e expression of feline IL-16 (fIL-16). At the nucleotide level, fIL-16 show s 84.6 and 84.5%, on the amino acid level 93 and 91.5% identity to the huma n and African green monkey (agm) IL-16, respectively.