Aim To investigate the correlationship between the level of CXC ligand 16(CXCL16) and coronary artery disease,and severity of coronary artery stenosis.Methods A total number of 76 patients were enrolled in present study including three groups:acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients (n=29),stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients (n=26) and controls (n=21).Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to examine the concentration of serum soluble CXCL16.Gensini score system was applied to evaluate the narrow severity of coronary artery in ACS.Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for the differences in means of serum CXCL16 among three groups.Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between the level of serum CXCL16 and ACS.Spearman rank correlation coefficient was employed to assess the relationship between serum CXCL16 level and Gensini score.Results In patients with ACS the level of serum CXCL16 was significantly increased compared with control and SAP patients.The serum CXCL16 concentration was positively associated with ACS.No significant association was found between serum CXCL16 and high sensitivity C-reaction protein (hs-CRP) or serum lipid parameters.In ACS patients the increased level of serum CXCL16 was not linked to Gensini score.Conclusion Increased level of serum soluble CXCL16 was independently associated with ACS.The serum CXCL16 level was not associated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis.