title: Modification of lymphocyte subsets in the intestinal-associated immune system and thymus by chronic ethanol consumption.
abstract: Modification of the mucosa-associated intestinal immune system of female C57BL/6 mice was studied during consumption of the Lieber-DeCarli diet supplemented with 5% v/v ethanol or laboratory chow with ethanol (20% w/v) in the drinking water. All groups received ethanol for 11 weeks. Mice fed the Lieber-DeCarli diet had fewer CD8+ cells/villus than the chow-fed controls. Mice that received ethanol in the drinking water had fewer IgA-containing cells and CD8+ cells than controls. There were no differences in the number of cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes between ethanol-treated mice and their respective controls. Nevertheless, chow-fed control mice had more cells than those fed the Lieber-DeCarli control diet. Although no differences were detected in the percentages of CD4+, CD8+, LECAM-1+, and LECAM-1+ CD4+ cells, there was a decrease in the percentage of LECAM-1+ CD8+ cells in ethanol-fed mice when compared with their Lieber-DeCarli controls. Mice receiving ethanol in the drinking water showed alterations in the CD4 CD45RC subsets and in the CD8 CD45RC subsets. Similar results were observed in mice receiving Lieber-DeCarli diets alone or supplemented with ethanol. The low dose, chronic exposure of dietary ethanol in the Lieber-DeCarli-fed mice did not significantly affect the numbers of various thymocyte subsets. But, a decrease in the percentage of CD4- CD8+ cells was observed in the thymus of mice receiving ethanol in the drinking water. Chronic ethanol consumption caused significant decreases in the number of CD8+ and IgA+ cells in the intestinal lamina propria, important in mucosal immune defenses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borgs
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol