Phenotypic Characteristics of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Patients with Alcohol Dependence in the Dynamics of the Post-Abstinence State

Background: the damaging effect of ethanol on cells, systems and organs determines the relevance of studying the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence (alcoholism). The literature reported contradictory data on the effects of alcohol on the cellular immunity that is conditioned by various research techniques, approaches to the formation of the groups, disease stages. Objective: to determine the phenotypes of lymphocytes of the peripheral blood from patients with alcohol dependence in the time course of the post withdrawal state. Patients: 52 male patients aged 30–60 years were examined who were diagnosed according to ICD-10 with Mental and Behavioral Disorders due to the Use of Alcohol (dependence syndrome — F10.21 and withdrawal syndrome — F10.30), their disease duration was 15.0 ± 9.5 years, including 12 patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The investigations were conducted in the time course of the post-withdrawal state: after alcohol detoxification (1 point) and by days 14–17 of the treatment (2 point). 25 conditionally healthy men served as controls, comparison group included 20 men with neurotic disorders. Methods: populations/subpopulations of lymphocytes were determined on the cytometer BD FACS Calibur (Becton Dickinson, USA); the reagent kits of the same firm were used. T-lymphocytes (CD3⁺), B-lymphocytes (CD19⁺), T-helpers/Т-inducers (CD3⁺ CD4⁺), cytotoxic Т-lymphocytes (CD3⁺ CD8⁺), NK cells (CD3^–CD16⁺ CD56⁺) were revealed in percent to the population of lymphocytes and in absolute values. Results: in point 1 of the study, patients, in relation to controls and the comparison group, had an elevated percent of Т-lymphocytes and Т-helpers-inducers, a reduced number of NK cells. After 14–17 days of therapy, CD3⁺ lymphocytes remain elevated, B-lymphocytes decrease; in the group of patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) NK cells remain reduced. Conclusion: the immune phenotype of alcohol-dependent patients at an early stage of the post-withdrawal state was characterized by the elevation of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, reduction of NK cells. During therapy, some populations are normalized, except for T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes as well as NK cells in the group with ALD. Immune imbalance indicates instability of the post-withdrawal state and the need for additional treatment.

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