Amany Mahmoud Yousef, Alaa Maree, Nermin Tayel, Omnia Mansour Mohammed, Basma Abd El Naby Mohamed
Turkish Journal of Dermatology - 2025;19(4):209-216
Aim: Interleukin-16 (IL-16), a cytokine that promotes inflammation, affects immune system cells in a variety of ways. The biological characteristics of IL-16, including its ability to activate CD4+ T-cell migration and proliferation, as well as stimulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, suggest that it may be a key player in the pathophysiology of several illnesses associated with immunological disorders. The purpose of the study was to evaluate serum levels and gene polymorphism (rs4072111) of IL-16 in acne vulgaris (A V). Materials and Methods: Forty A V cases and forty controls who were matched for age and sex participated in this cross-sectional study. To assess the severity of acne, the Global Acne Grading System was utilized; serum IL-16 was evaluated using ELISA; and real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate IL-16 (rs 4072111) gene polymorphism. Results: IL-16 serum levels were considerably greater in acne cases than in controls, according to this study. Additionally, severe cases had a much higher level of IL-16 than mild and moderate cases. Concerning IL-16 gene polymorphism (rs 4072111), CC genotypes were substantially more in cases than in controls, and significantly enhanced the risk of the occurrence of acne (P = 0.025). Compared to variant T, the presence of allele C raises the risk of acne (P -value = 0.035). Conclusion: Compared to the T allele, the presence of the allele C raised the possibility of developing acne.
