Decreased Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-1α Production from Intrahepatic Mononuclear Cells in Chronic Ethanol Consumption and Upregulation by Endotoxin.

The relationship between the changes in liver pathology and the production of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by intrahepatic mononuclear cells was studied in rats fed alcohol and subsequently exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats were fed 40% ethanol in drinking water, whereas control rats were provided with a chow diet with isocaloric or 2% sucrose drinking solutions for up to 20 weeks. Decreased IL-1α and TNF-α production in 24-hr culture supernatants of mononuclear cells isolated from liver perfusate was detected while IL-6 remained unchanged over 20 weeks. When animals were injected with LPS (1.0 μg/kg body weight), there was a 5-fold rise in ALT levels in the ethanol-fed group, but not in control groups. Increased IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the serum and supernatant of cultured intrahepatic mononuclear cells stimulated with or without LPS or concanavalin A was observed. There was a correlation between levels of ALT and TNF-α, but not IL-6. T cells and Kupffer cells were the major source of TNF-α in culture supernatants of hepatic perfusate mononuclear cells from ethanol-consuming rats injected LPS. In addition, pathological liver injury was evident, which suggests a pathogenic role for TNF-α in alcohol-induced liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]