Abstract
Alcohol binge drinking is a dangerous drinking habit, associated with neurological problems and inflammation. The impact of a single alcohol binge on innate immunity, gut barrier and gut microbiome was studied. In this cohort study 15 healthy volunteers received 2 ml vodka 40% v/v ethanol/kg body weight. Neutrophil function was studied by flow cytometry; markers of gut permeability and inflammation (lactulose/mannitol/sucrose test, zonulin, calprotectin, diamino-oxidase) were studied with NMR spectroscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in urine, stool and serum respectively. Bacterial products in serum were quantified using different reporter cell lines. Gut microbiome composition was studied by 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. After a single alcohol binge, neutrophils were transiently primed and the response to E.coli stimulation with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was transiently increased, on the other hand the percentage of neutrophils that did not perform phagocytosis increased. No changes in gut permeability, inflammatory biomarker, bacterial translocation and microbiome composition could be detected up to 4 hours after a single alcohol binge or on the next day. A single alcohol binge in young, healthy volunteers transiently impacts on neutrophil function. Although the exact biological consequence of this finding is not clear yet, we believe that this strengthens the importance to avoid any alcohol binge drinking, even in young, otherwise healthy persons.
Highlights
We aimed to study whether a single alcohol binge with 2 ml of vodka 40% v/v ethanol/kg body weight impairs gut barrier and gut microbiome composition, increases bacterial translocation and inflammation and impacts on neutrophil dysfunction
One hour after alcohol binge neutrophils showed significantly more reactive oxygen species (ROS) production after stimulation with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, indicating that they were readier to respond to further stimuli (Fig 2B)
The number of neutrophils that did not show phagocytosis of FITC labelled E.coli bacteria increased slightly, but significantly at 3h after alcohol binge compared to baseline
Summary
On the one hand alcohol-induced liver injury is driven by proinflammatory reactions, whereas in the long-term, immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects have been described [10]. These immune effects, via Toll-like receptors, may be driven by endotoxin or other bacterial products that are translocated to the circulation via a defective gut barrier [11]. We aimed to study whether a single alcohol binge with 2 ml of vodka 40% v/v ethanol/kg body weight impairs gut barrier and gut microbiome composition, increases bacterial translocation and inflammation and impacts on neutrophil dysfunction
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