Ethanol suppression of the functional state of polymorphonuclear leukocytes obtained from uninfected and simian immunodeficiency virus infected rhesus macaques

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and alcohol abuse frequently coexist in the host and are known to suppress individually the h ost response to a variety of opportunistic infections. Methods: This study examined the effects of in vitro ethanol exposure on se veral functions of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) that were obtained f rom uninfected and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus maca ques, at the asymptomatic and terminal stages of infection. Results: The PMNs obtained from rhesus macaques at both the asymptomatic an d terminal stage of SIV disease had elevated phagocytic activity and increa sed CD11b expression compared with PMNs from uninfected animals. In vitro 1 00 mM ethanol suppressed phagocytosis and CD11b adhesion molecule expressio n by PMNs, regardless of the stage of SIV infection. Treatment of PMNs with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) attenuated the inhibitory ef fect seen with prior ethanol exposure. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that the functional state of PMNs from uninfected as well as SIV-infected rhesus macaques is impaired by direct ex posure to intoxicating concentrations of ethanol and that this effect can b e attenuated by G-CSF. If alcohol intoxication similarly suppressed PMN fun ction in vivo, it would further increase susceptibility of these hosts to s econdary infections. Furthermore, G-CSF may be useful in overcoming the sup pressive effects of ethanol on PMN function in such patients.