IN-VIVO EFFECT OF CHRONIC ETHANOL-CONSUMPTION ON THE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOLS IN RESTING AND ANTI-CD(3)-ACTIVATED LYMPHOCYTES

Fatty acid composition of phosphatidylinositols was analyzed in periph eral blood lymphocytes from nine alcoholic patients who were well nour ished and without severe acute and chronic liver disease, before and a fter stimulation with anti-CD3 antibody. Six comparable nondrinkers we re studied as controls. A reduction in unsaturated fatty acid (mainly arachidonic) and an increase in palmitic and stearic acid molar conten t were observed in phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol-4-p hosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bis-phosphate (PIP2) in u nstimulated samples from alcoholic patients in comparison with normal subjects, leading to a significant decrease in the saturated/unsaturat ed ratio. In controls, anti-CD3 stimulation caused a marked decrease i n arachidonic acid relative molar content counterbalanced by an increa se in other polyunsaturated fatty acid relative molar content in PI, P IP, and PIP2 fractions. Interestingly, after anti-CD3 stimulation, alc oholic patients show the same trend of modification in the fatty acid composition resulting in a sharp reduction of arachidonic acid relativ e molar content. These results support the hypothesis of an alteration in nutrients being responsible for immune derangement in alcoholics.