The First Line of Defense: The Effects of Alcohol on Post-Burn Intestinal Barrier, Immune Cells, and Microbiome Journal Article

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Authors: Hammer, A. M.; Morris, N. L.; Earley, Z. M.; Choudhry, M. A.
Article Title: The First Line of Defense: The Effects of Alcohol on Post-Burn Intestinal Barrier, Immune Cells, and Microbiome
Abstract: Alcohol (ethanol) is one of the most globally abused substances, and is one of the leading causes of premature death in the world. As a result of its complexity and direct contact with ingested alcohol, the intestine represents the primary source from which alcohol-associated pathologies stem. The gut is the largest reservoir of bacteria in the body, and under healthy conditions, it maintains a barrier preventing bacteria from translocating out of the intestinal lumen. The intestinal barrier is compromised following alcohol exposure, which can lead to life-threatening systemic complications including sepsis and multiple organ failure. Furthermore, alcohol is a major confounding factor in pathology associated with trauma. Experimental data from both human and animal studies suggest that alcohol perturbs the intestinal barrier and its function, which is exacerbated by a "second hit" from traumatic injury. This article highlights the role of alcohol-mediated alterations of the intestinal epithelia and its defense against bacteria within the gut, and the impact of alcohol on intestinal immunity, specifically on T cells and neutrophils. Finally, it discusses how the gut microbiome both contributes to and protects the intestines from dysbiosis after alcohol exposure and trauma.
Journal Title: Alcohol research : current reviews
Volume: 37
Issue: 2
ISSN: 2168-3492; 2168-3492
Publisher: Unknown  
Journal Place: United States
Date Published: 2015
Start Page: 209
End Page: 222
Language: eng
Notes: LR: 20151230; GR: R01-AA-015731/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01-AA015731-08S1/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States; GR: T32-AA-013527/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States; JID: 101594475; OID: NLM: PMC4590618; ppublish