title: T-cell activation after chronic ethanol ingestion in mice.
abstract: Chronic excessive consumption of ethanol causes immunodeficiency in human beings and in mice. Immunologic changes have been described in both species, including T-cell and innate immune system cell activation, among others. The features of chronic ethanol-induced activation have similarities in the two species, including an increased effector subset in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. There are also features of activation observed in the splenic macrophages of mice consuming ethanol chronically, including increased up-regulation of CD80 and CD86. Because these molecules are involved in T-cell-antigen-presenting cell interactions in vivo, it is of interest to ask whether these and other pathways of interaction are important in the T-cell activation and cytokine skewing described in chronic ethanol abuse. Preliminary findings from comparisons of wild-type, CD40 ligand knock-out, and CD28 knock-out C57BL/6 mice strongly support the suggestion of a critical role for T-cell-antigen-presenting cell interactions in the immune alterations observed in chronic ethanol abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. robert-cook@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Zuhair K
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Ballas
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Waldschmidt
authors.forename: Nancy B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: LaBrecque
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol