Production of inflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood monocytes in chronic alcoholism: relationship with ethanol intake and liver disease.
BACKGROUND
Controversial results have been reported about the effects of alcoholism on the functionality of monocytes. In the present study we analyze the effects of chronic alcoholism on the intracellular production of inflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood (PB) monocytes.


METHODS
Spontaneous and in vitro-stimulated production of interleukin (IL) 1alpha (TNFalpha) by PB monocytes was analyzed at the single level by flow cytometry in chronic alcoholics without liver disease and active ethanol (EtOH) intake (AWLD group), as well as in patients with alcohol liver cirrhosis (ALC group), who were either actively drinking (ALCET group) or with alcohol withdrawal (ALCAW group).


RESULTS
A significantly increased spontaneous production of IL1beta, IL6, IL12, and TNFalpha was observed on PB monocytes among AWLD individuals. Conversely, circulating monocytes form ALCET patients showed an abnormally low spontaneous and stimulated production of inflammatory cytokines. No significant changes were observed in ALCAW group as regards production of IL1beta, IL6, IL12, and TNFalpha.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show an altered pattern of production of inflammatory cytokines in PB monocytes from chronic alcoholic patients, the exact abnormalities observed depending on both the status of EtOH intake and the existence of alcoholic liver disease.
Laso
Francisco Javier
FJ
Unidad de Alcoholismo, Servicio de Medicina Interna II, Hospital Universitario, Salamanca, Spain. laso@usal.es
Vaquero
José Miguel
JM
Almeida
Julia
J
Marcos
Miguel
M
Orfao
Alberto
A
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D016207:Cytokines; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000431:Ethanol