Ethanol induces marked changes in lymphocyte populations and natural killer cell activity in mice.
Treatment of mice in vivo with 5% w/v ethanol given in a liquid diet causes marked changes in spleen, peripheral blood, and thymus lymphocytes. In both the thymus and spleen, there is an acute cellular depletion resulting in a significant decrease in gross tissue size and cell number. In spleen and peripheral blood, the percentage of T lymphocytes is increased relative to B lymphocytes, but the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cell sub-populations remains unchanged. Splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity is increased in ethanol-consuming mice, although the percentage of NK1.1+ cells is relatively unchanged.
Meadows
G G
GG
Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Wallendal
M
M
Kosugi
A
A
Wunderlich
J
J
Singer
D S
DS
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000276:immunology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D000431:Ethanol