Alcohol dependence promotes systemic IFN-γ and IL-17 responses in mice

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 21;15(12):e0239246. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239246. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. AUD is associated with a variety of physiological changes and is a substantial risk factor for numerous diseases. We aimed to characterize systemic alterations in immune responses using a well-established mouse model of chronic intermittent alcohol exposure to induce alcohol dependence. We exposed mice to chronic intermittent ethanol vapor for 4 weeks and analyzed the expression of cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-17 by different immune cells in the blood, spleen and liver of alcohol dependent and non-dependent control mice through multiparametric flow cytometry. We found increases in IFN-γ and IL-17 expression in a cell type- and organ-specific manner. Often, B cells and neutrophils were primary contributors to increased IFN-γ and IL-17 levels while other cell types played a secondary role. We conclude that chronic alcohol exposure promotes systemic pro-inflammatory IFN-γ and IL-17 responses in mice. These responses are likely important in the development of alcohol-related diseases, but further characterization is necessary to understand the initiation and effects of systemic inflammatory responses to chronic alcohol exposure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcoholism / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Ethanol / adverse effects*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Spleen / drug effects
  • Spleen / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Il17a protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-17
  • Ethanol
  • Interferon-gamma