Plasma cytokine levels in patients with chronic alcohol overconsumption: Relations to gut microbiota markers and clinical correlates

Steinar Traae Bjørkhaug; Sudan Prasad Neupane; Jørgen G Bramness; Håvard Aanes; Viggo Skar; Asle W Medhus; Jørgen Valeur

doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.10.002

Plasma cytokine levels in patients with chronic alcohol overconsumption: Relations to gut microbiota markers and clinical correlates

Alcohol. 2020 Jun:85:35-40. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.10.002. Epub 2019 Oct 11.

Authors

Steinar Traae Bjørkhaug¹, Sudan Prasad Neupane², Jørgen G Bramness³, Håvard Aanes⁴, Viggo Skar⁵, Asle W Medhus⁶, Jørgen Valeur⁷

Affiliations

¹ Unger-Vetlesen Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Internal Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
² Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States.
³ Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
⁴ Patogen AS, Ålesund, Norway.
⁵ Unger-Vetlesen Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
⁶ Department of Gastroenterology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
⁷ Unger-Vetlesen Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Gastroenterology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: jorgen.valeur@lds.no.

PMID: 31610228
DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.10.002

Abstract

Background: Alcohol-related morbidity may involve changes in the gut microbiota and immune dysregulation. We have previously demonstrated alterations in gut microbiota composition and functions in patients with alcohol overconsumption, and now aimed to investigate possible associations between cytokine levels, gut microbiota, and clinical symptoms.

Methods: We included hospital inpatients with a history of chronic alcohol overconsumption. For comparison, we included control patients with a low alcohol intake. Cytokine levels (TGF-β1, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1, IL-1RA, IL-1β, and IL-17) were determined using a customized V-plex assay. We then examined associations of cytokine levels with the abundance of Proteobacteria and Faecalibacterium, percentage of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, psychiatric symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and biochemical liver variables.

Results: We included 28 patients with alcohol overconsumption (79% men), and 25 control patients (72% men). Patients with alcohol overconsumption had higher levels of IL-6 (p = 0.002), IFN-γ (p = 0.018), and MCP-1 (p = 0.006), and lower levels of TGF-β1 (p = 0.017) compared with control patients. Inverse correlations were found between Proteobacteria abundance and TNF-α (R_s = -0.55, p = 0.02) and IL-8 (R_s = -0.58, p = 0.014), and between Faecalibacterium and MCP-1 levels (R_s = -0.56, p = 0.02) in the control patients, but not in patients with alcohol overconsumption. Patients with alcohol overconsumption reported more psychiatric symptoms, and these symptoms were inversely correlated with IL-10 levels. There were positive correlations between several of the assessed cytokines and biochemical liver variables, and negative correlations between cytokine levels and albumin.

Conclusion: Patients with alcohol overconsumption had a cytokine profile suggestive of increased systemic inflammatory activity, with higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IFN-γ, and MCP-1) and lower levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (TGF-β1). The findings may represent a link between alcohol use and alcohol-related morbidity.

Keywords: HADS; alcoholism; immune system; inflammation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alcoholism / blood*
Biomarkers / blood*
Case-Control Studies
Cytokines / blood*
Female
Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects*
Humans
Interleukin-1beta / blood
Male
Middle Aged
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood

Substances

Biomarkers
Cytokines
IL1B protein, human
Interleukin-1beta
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha