Pulmonary cytokine composition differs in the setting of alcohol use disorders and cigarette smoking. Journal Article


Authors: Burnham, E. L.; Kovacs, E. J.; Davis, C. S.
Article Title: Pulmonary cytokine composition differs in the setting of alcohol use disorders and cigarette smoking.
Abstract: Alcohol use disorders (AUDs), including alcohol abuse and dependence, and cigarette smoking are widely acknowledged and common risk factors for pneumococcal pneumonia. Reasons for these associations are likely complex, but may involve an imbalance in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines within the lung. Delineating the specific effects of alcohol, smoking, and their combination on pulmonary cytokines may help unravel mechanisms that predispose these individuals to pneumococcal pneumonia. We hypothesized that the combination of AUD and cigarette smoking would be associated with increased bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) pro-inflammatory cytokines, and diminished anti-inflammatory cytokines, compared to either AUDs or cigarette smoking alone. Acellular BAL fluid was obtained from twenty subjects with AUDs, who were identified using a validated questionnaire, and 19 control subjects, matched on the basis of age, gender and smoking history. Half were current cigarette smokers; baseline pulmonary function tests and chest radiographs were normal. A positive relationship between RANTES with increasing severity of alcohol dependence was observed, independent of cigarette smoking (p=0.0001). Cigarette smoking duration was associated with higher IL-1beta (p=0.0009), but lower VEGF (p=0.0007); cigarette smoking intensity was characterized by higher IL-1beta and lower VEGF, and diminished IL-12 (p=0.0004). No synergistic effects of AUDs and cigarette smoking were observed. Collectively, our work suggests that AUDs and cigarette smoking each contribute to a pro-inflammatory pulmonary milieu in human subjects through independent effects on BAL RANTES and IL-1beta. Further, cigarette smoking additionally influences BAL IL-12 and VEGF that may be relevant to the pulmonary immune response.
Journal Title: American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular Molecular Physiology
Volume: 304
Issue: 12
ISSN: 1522-1504
Publisher: Unknown  
Date Published: 2013
Start Page: L873-82
Language: ENG
DOI/URL:
Notes: ID: 13207; GR: R24 AA019661/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States; JID: 100901229; aheadofprint