ETHANOL-INDUCED CHANGES IN THE INTESTINAL MUCOSA-ASSOCIATED IMMUNE-SYSTEM OF YOUNG AND MATURE MICE

Alcoholics have frequent bronchial and intestinal bacterial-associated infections compromising the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissues. Alco holics also suffer undernutrition due to changes in their lifestyles. Thus, we studied the intestinal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues usi ng two types of diets in young and mature mice. The objective was to e lucidate if ethanol consumption alters the T and B cell populations in the intestine, and if the alteration could be associated with the age and/or the nutritional status of the host. There was an increase in t he number of CD8(+) cells per field in the intestinal lamina propria ( ILP) of young mice consuming ethanol, with no changes in CD4(+) and Ig A(+) cells in the ILP and CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in the intestinal in traepithelium (IE). There was also an increase in the number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in the ILP of well-nourished mature mice consuming e thanol, and an increase in the number of CD4(+) cells in the ILP of un dernourished mice. An increase in the number of CD8(+) cells in the IE was also detected in the well-nourished group consuming ethanol. Ther efore, we conclude that ethanol administration alters the intestinal m ucosa-associated lymphoid tissue.