Interleukin-16 (IL-16) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that functions primarily as a CD4+ T cell chemoattractant and immunomodulatory molecule 1. IL-16 is synthesized as a precursor and processed by cleavage of a C-terminal 14 kDa peptide, which aggregates into bioactive tetramers that interact directly with CD4 receptors 2. Through CD4 binding, IL-16 induces chemotaxis of various CD4+ immune cells, promotes interleukin-2 receptor and HLA-DR expression, and can reversibly inhibit T cell receptor/CD3-dependent activation 2. The cytokine plays significant roles in inflammatory diseases, with elevated levels correlating with CD4+ T cell infiltration in asthma and serving as a biomarker in lupus nephritis, where it is highly expressed by infiltrating immune cells at sites of kidney injury 3. Recent studies demonstrate that IL-16 can be released through GSDME-mediated pyroptosis, particularly in inflammatory conditions like endometriosis 4. Genetic polymorphisms in IL16 have been associated with various diseases including alopecia areata, osteosarcoma susceptibility, and asparaginase-related thrombosis in leukemia patients 567. These findings highlight IL-16's potential as both a therapeutic target and biomarker for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.