title: Alcohol's Effect on Host Defense.
abstract: Alcohol affects many organs, including the immune system, with even moderate amounts of alcohol influencing immune responses. Although alcohol can alter the actions of all cell populations involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses, the effect in many cases is a subclinical immunosuppression that becomes clinically relevant only after a secondary insult (e.g., bacterial or viral infection or other tissue damage). Alcohol's specific effects on the innate immune system depend on the pattern of alcohol exposure, with acute alcohol inhibiting and chronic alcohol accelerating inflammatory responses. The proinflammatory effects of chronic alcohol play a major role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease and pancreatitis, but also affect numerous other organs and tissues. In addition to promoting proinflammatory immune responses, alcohol also impairs anti-inflammatory cytokines. Chronic alcohol exposure also interferes with the normal functioning of all aspects of the adaptive immune response, including both cell-mediated and humoral responses. All of these effects enhance the susceptibility of chronic alcoholics to viral and bacterial infections and to sterile inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Gyongyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Banishree
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saha
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000276:immunology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D016207:Cytokines; D000431:Ethanol