Influence of ethanol concentration in the phagocytic function of neutrophils against Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in an experimental model.
OBJECTIVE
Although the prevalence of pneumonia or other extrapulmonary infections is higher in people with alcoholism or acute alcohol intoxication, the possible relationship of acute alcohol intoxication to phagocytic function has not been investigated. Our aim was to determine whether acute alcohol intoxication suppresses phagocytic function in human neutrophils.


METHODS
Twenty healthy individuals were enrolled for isolating neutrophils to evaluate the neutrophil phagocytic function at different alcohol concentrations. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from clinical specimens of liver abscesses. The rate of K. pneumonia phagocytosis (K2 and non-K1/K2 isolates) by neutrophils was determined using flow cytometry and compared among the nine groups with different alcohol concentrations.


RESULTS
The rate of phagocytic uptake decreased significantly with increasing alcohol concentration in both the K2 and non-K1/K2 K. pneumonia groups (r = -0.866, p = 0.03 vs. r = -0.975, p < 0.001). Moreover, the percentage of K. pneumoniae ingested by neutrophils decreased with age.


CONCLUSIONS
The ability of neutrophils to phagocytose virulent K2 K. pneumoniae was suppressed by ethanol at high concentrations. This finding may account for the higher prevalence of pneumonia or other extrapulmonary infection in people with acute alcohol intoxication.
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Chun-Hsiang
CH
Chiu
Department of Family Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Ying-Chuan
YC
Wang
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Kuo-Ming
KM
Yeh
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: linjungchung1@yahoo.com.tw.
Jung-Chung
JC
Lin
Division of Clinical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
L K
LK
Siu
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Feng-Yee
FY
Chang
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008100:Liver Abscess / Q000382:microbiology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015995:Prevalence
D000431:Ethanol
alcohol; alcoholism; ethanol; neutrophil; phagocytosis