ETHANOL ENHANCES THE IFN-GAMMA, TGF-ALPHA AND IL-6 SECRETION IN PSORIATIC COCULTURES

Evidence suggests an association between alcohol consumption and psori asis. This relationship is still undefined, although long-term alcohol intake influences the immune system, Interactions. between T cells an d keratinocytes are important for the pathogenesis of psoriasis, by se cretion of proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors in psoriatic s kin, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-gamma and TGF-alpha are hallmark cytokines in a psoriatic cytokine network, We investigated whether ethanol influ ences the secretion of these cytokines using a co-culture model with k eratinocytes from psoriatic patients (n = 9) or from healthy controls (n = 9), with HUT 78 lymphocytes, and determined the cytokine levels w ith or without ethanol treatment in the culture supernatants. TGF-alph a and IFN-gamma levels were elevated in the ethanol-treated psoriatic co-cultures, to 150% and 175% respectively, but neither in co-cultures with keratinocytes derived from healthy control individuals nor in mo nocultures. Treatment with ethanol elevated slightly the IL-6 levels i n the monocultures from psoriatic and control keratinocytes to 125% bu t not in HUT 78 monocultures. In the psoriatic co-cultures, IL-6 level s were elevated in the culture supernatants to almost 160%, but they w ere not influenced by ethanol in co-cultures with control keratinocyte s, The cytokine levels of IL-8 or IL-2 were not significantly influenc ed in the psoriatic mono- and co-cultures or in HUT 78 cultures.If eth anol influences the cytokine secretion of psoriatic keratinocytes and HUT 78 lymphocytes in co-culture conditions, these data suggest that e thanol could also influence the psoriatic cytokine network in vivo, wh ich may explain the aggravation of this disease in alcohol-consuming p soriatic patients.