In a monkey model of voluntary ethanol self-administration, chronic ethanol consumption for 32 months by male cynomolgus monkeys with mean daily intakes that reached 4.0g/kg/day (the equivalent of 16 drinks/day and BAC of 400mg/dL) resulted in decreased circulating levels of factors involved in the recruitment of immune cells to the site of infection including chemokines such as CCL3/4, and metalloproteases such as MMP-9 (Helms, Messaoudi et al. 2012). Decreased IL-2 and CCL5 levels provide insight into possible mechanisms of impaired T cell recruitment and proliferation. Increases in IL-7 and IL-15, which are critical for T cell survival, may be compensatory mechanisms for reduced IL-2 levels. Reduced IgE levels were also observed and may be related to the observed decrease in IgE synthesis regulators, IL-13 and CD40 ligand. Increased levels of CCL11, a potent chemokine for IgE-producing eosinophils, may be compensating the reduced IgE levels (Helms, Messaoudi et al. 2012). These changes were most apparent at the highest ethanol intakes and BAC.
