EFFECT OF A SINGLE ETHANOL EXPOSURE ON HIV REPLICATION IN HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES

Background: Alcoholism is known to cause perturbations in cellular and humoral immunity, and some data suggest that acute alcohol ingestion enhances HIV replication in the lymphocytes of drinkers, Methods: To s tudy the acute effects of alcohol ingestion on HIV replication, oral e thanol (1 g/kg) was administered to 12 healthy volunteers in a control led clinical setting, In vitro replication of HIV in the subjects' cul tured lymphocytes and changes in lymphocyte phenotypes were evaluated. Results: Statistically significant increases in peripheral lymphocyte s and natural killer cell numbers were after the initial ethanol trial , HIV replication also increased in the isolated lymphocytes of some s ubjects after ethanol ingestion, but most subjects in the second trial showed essentially no changes in any of these parameters, Conclusions : Our results are consistent with either a subtle, study-induced stres s-related enhancement in HIV replication or significant individual var iation in response to ethanol, The results do not provide evidence for a general increase in HIV replication in the lymphocytes of subjects following a single in vivo ethanol dose of 1 g/kg.