title: Ethanol enhances the IFN-gamma, TGF-alpha and IL-6 secretion in psoriatic co-cultures.
abstract: Evidence suggests an association between alcohol consumption and psoriasis. This relationship is still undefined, although long-term alcohol intake influences the immune system. Interactions between T cells and keratinocytes are important for the pathogenesis of psoriasis, by secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in psoriatic skin. IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-gamma and TGF-alpha are hallmark cytokines in a psoriatic cytokine network. We investigated whether ethanol influences the secretion of these cytokines using a co-culture model with keratinocytes from psoriatic patients (n = 9) or from healthy controls (n = 9), with HUT 78 lymphocytes, and determined the cytokine levels with or without ethanol treatment in the culture supernatants. TGF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels were elevated in the ethanol-treated psoriatic co-cultures, to 150% and 175% respectively, but neither in co-cultures with keratinocytes derived from healthy control individuals nor in monocultures. Treatment with ethanol elevated slightly the IL-6 levels in the monocultures from psoriatic and control keratinocytes to 125% but not in HUT 78 monocultures. In the psoriatic co-cultures, IL-6 levels were elevated in the culture supernatants to almost 160%, but they were not influenced by ethanol in co-cultures with control keratinocytes. The cytokine levels of IL-8 or IL-2 were not significantly influenced in the psoriatic mono- and co-cultures or in HUT 78 cultures. If ethanol influences the cytokine secretion of psoriatic keratinocytes and HUT 78 lymphocytes in co-culture conditions, these data suggest that ethanol could also influence the psoriatic cytokine network in vivo, which may explain the explain the aggravation of this disease in alcohol-consuming psoriatic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ockenfels
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keim-Maas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nussbaum
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goos
mesh_terms: D018920:Coculture Techniques; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D000431:Ethanol; D007371:Interferon-gamma