Elevated maternal IL-16 levels, enhanced IL-16 expressions in endothelium and leukocytes, and increased IL-16 production by placental trophoblasts in women with preeclampsia.

Cytokine IL-16 plays an important role in innate immune responses. However, little information is available about IL-16 function in human pregnancy. In this study, we collected maternal blood samples from 125 pregnant women between 26 and 41 wk of gestation, 63 from normal pregnant women and 62 from women with preeclampsia (PE).