How Excess Alcohol Depresses
The Body's Immune Function
The Body's Immune Function
Alcoholism suppresses the immune system, resulting in a high
risk of serious, and potentially life-threatening infections. A new study now demonstrates that this effect occurs mainly from alcohol's toxicity to immune system cells called dendritic cells.
These cells play a critical role in immune function, responding to danger signals by searching for unfamiliar antigens within the body that would
be coming from invading microbes, and presenting such antigens to
T cells, thus activating them to seek and destroy cells containing these
antigens.
risk of serious, and potentially life-threatening infections. A new study now demonstrates that this effect occurs mainly from alcohol's toxicity to immune system cells called dendritic cells.
These cells play a critical role in immune function, responding to danger signals by searching for unfamiliar antigens within the body that would
be coming from invading microbes, and presenting such antigens to
T cells, thus activating them to seek and destroy cells containing these
antigens.
The research is published in the July 2011 issue of the journal
Clinical and Vaccine Immunology.
Earlier studies had shown that excessive drinking of alcohol impaired
T cell function, and subsequently that this impairment could be reversed
by exposure to dendritic cells (named for their unique shape) from non-alcoholic subjects, and that poor function in CD4 and CD8 T
cells could be improved through exposure to cytokines produced
by non-alcoholic dendritic cells.
Cytokines are immune regulatory cells. In this study, research scientists from Brown University, Providence, RI, compared dendritic cells produced by alcoholic and non-alcoholic subjects, which they first removed from the subjects.
T cell function, and subsequently that this impairment could be reversed
by exposure to dendritic cells (named for their unique shape) from non-alcoholic subjects, and that poor function in CD4 and CD8 T
cells could be improved through exposure to cytokines produced
by non-alcoholic dendritic cells.
Cytokines are immune regulatory cells. In this study, research scientists from Brown University, Providence, RI, compared dendritic cells produced by alcoholic and non-alcoholic subjects, which they first removed from the subjects.
The result: dendritic cells from the alcoholic subjects had a poor ability
to activate T cells, while the dendritic cells from subjects on iso-caloric
diets containing no alcohol functioned normally.
The researchers found further that the dendritic cells from alcohol-fed
to activate T cells, while the dendritic cells from subjects on iso-caloric
diets containing no alcohol functioned normally.
The researchers found further that the dendritic cells from alcohol-fed
subjects showed reduced antigen presentation compared to those
from control subjects, as well as less production of the regulatory cytokines.
This research also confirmed earlier results showing that alcohol inhibits cytokine secretion by dendritic cells.
from control subjects, as well as less production of the regulatory cytokines.
This research also confirmed earlier results showing that alcohol inhibits cytokine secretion by dendritic cells.
"This research helps us understand why alcoholics are predisposed to bacterial and viral infections, and why they do not respond well to vaccines" say the researchers . Understanding this will help in the development of ways to improve dendritic cell function in people with alcohol syndromes.
Journal Reference: Ethanol Inhibits Antigen Presentation by Dendritic Cells. Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, 2011;
American Society for Microbiology (2011, August 15). How excess alcohol depresses immune function.
This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.
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