Chronic alcohol consumption perturbs the balance between thymus-derived and bone marrow-derived natural killer cells in the spleen.
Alcohol consumption reduces peripheral NK cell numbers and compromises NK cell cytolytic activity; however, the underlying mechanism is not understood completely. It was found recently that the peripheral NK cell pool consists largely of bone marrow (BM)-derived and thymus-derived cells, which are phenotypically and functionally different. The effects of alcohol consumption on these subpopulations have not been studied previously. Using a well-established alcohol-feeding model, we found that chronic alcohol consumption decreases the percentage and number of peripheral NK cells, especially those expressing a mature phenotype. Alcohol consumption did not alter NK cells in the thymus. NK cells in the BM were increased significantly; however, proliferation rate was not altered by alcohol consumption, which increased CD127+ and decreased Ly49D+ NK cells in the spleen but not in the BM. Chronic alcohol consumption increased IFN-gamma-producing NK cells and GATA-3 expression in splenic NK cells. Collectively, these results indicate that chronic alcohol consumption perturbs the balance between thymus-derived and BM-derived NK cells. The increased proportion of thymus-derived NK cells in the spleen likely results from impaired NK cell release from the BM.
Zhang
Hui
H
Cancer Prevention & Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Box 646713, 110 McCoy Office Trailer, Pullman, WA 99164-6713, USA.
Meadows
Gary G
GG
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494748:Gata3 protein, mouse; D007371:Interferon-gamma