leukotriene-b4 and Alcoholism

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aging; Alcoholism; Amino Acids; Anesthetics, Local; Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Aqueous Humor; Autonomic Nervous System; Biological Transport, Active; Brain Chemistry; Cardiac Glycosides; Catecholamines; Cell Differentiation; Central Nervous System; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetic Retinopathy; Epidermal Growth Factor; Eye; Fibrinolysis; Glaucoma; Granuloma; Graves Disease; Hallucinogens; Humans; Hypertension; Immunity, Cellular; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Leukotriene B4; Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Multiple Sclerosis; Muscle Relaxation; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Oxygen; Oxygen Consumption; Pigment Epithelium of Eye; Pineal Gland; Prostaglandin Antagonists; Prostaglandins; Psychotropic Drugs; Retina; Retinal Degeneration; Serotonin; Smoking; SRS-A; Stress, Physiological; Water-Electrolyte Balance

Alcohol inhibits phospholipase (PL) activity in a number of animal models. We have therefore measured prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), liberated by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and neutrophils respectively in chronic alcoholics and in control subjects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from alcoholics produced less PGE2 (p less than 0.01) and neutrophils produced less LTB4 (p less than 0.025). Reduced PGE2 production by PBMC of alcoholics was corrected by the addition of exogenous arachidonic acid (p less than 0.005) whilst neutrophil LTB4 production remained lower in the alcoholics (p less than 0.01). Percutaneous liver biopsies were undertaken in the 20 alcoholics having abnormal liver function tests. Prostaglandin E2 biosynthesis was lower in PBMC from patients with alcoholic hepatitis than with alcoholic cirrhosis (p less than 0.05). Analysis of PBMC fatty acid composition demonstrated that endogenous arachidonate and linoleate contents were not significantly different in alcoholics and controls. Cells from controls and alcoholics were incubated with 0, 50 and 150 mmol/l ethanol for two hours but there was no alteration in PGE2 or LTB4 biosynthesis. In summary, we found reduced eicosanoid production by peripheral leucocytes in alcoholics, supporting the hypothesis that chronic alcohol consumption either inhibits membrane bound phospholipase activity or enhances, alternatively, catabolism of eicosanoids. This phenomenon is more marked in alcoholic patients with hepatitis than in those with cirrhosis alone.

Topics: Adult; Alcoholism; Dinoprostone; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Leukotriene B4; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic; Middle Aged; Neutrophils