Abstract
Sex hormones are known to regulate immunity, and a dichotomy exists in the immune response between the sexes. Ethanol is also recognized to alter the immune response and may affect clearance of infectious agents differently in men and women. To examine sex differences in ethanol's effect on virus clearance, we used an intransasal model of Herpes Simplex Virus Type I (HSV‐1) infection. Male and female C57BL/6 mice were treated with an acute dose of ethanol (2.9g/kg) designed to give blood alcohol levels of 300mg/dL at 30 minutes at which time they were inoculated with HSV‐1 (5x104pfu). The lungs were harvested and virus replication was assessed using standard plaque assays. Virus titers were significantly higher on day 2 and 6 post‐inoculation in the lungs of female mice given ethanol compared to female mice given saline (p < 0.05) and male mice given saline or ethanol (p < 0.05). Additionally, Th1 cytokines including IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, and IL‐12 were all found to be 2‐fold lower in the lungs of female mice given ethanol compared to their saline controls. No differences were observed in cytokine production between male mice given ethanol or saline. These data suggest that ethanol may inhibit IFN‐γ production in female mice leading to decreased virus clearance. Supported by NIH R01AA012034, T32AA013527, an Illinois Excellence in Academic Medicine Grant and the Dr. Ralph and Marian C. Falk Medical Research Trust.
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