Alcohol consumption modulates plasma levels of several cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and hormones in a dose dependent manner. Several large cohort studies (>2000 male and female subjects) have shown a J-shaped association between ethanol consumption and plasma levels of the acute phase protein, C-reactive protein (CRP) (Imhof, Froehlich et al. 2001, Albert, Glynn et al. 2003, Pai, Hankinson et al. 2006). Given the association between CRP levels and cardiovascular disease, the decrease in CRP levels observed with moderate alcohol consumption could explain the reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease in individuals who drink in moderation (Lagrand, Visser et al. 1999). J-shaped associations of acute phase proteins albumin and transferrin (Imhof, Froehlich et al. 2001) as well as IL-6 with alcohol consumption were also reported (Pai, Hankinson et al. 2006). Interestingly, this last study also found a strong inverse linear trend with increasing alcohol consumption in men and women and soluble TNF-α receptors 1 and 2 (sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2) levels (Pai, Hankinson et al. 2006). TNF-receptors, which mediate TNF-α activity, have been associated with increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcome, therefore cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption may be also mediated by a reduction in TNF-α activity (Albert, Glynn et al. 2003).
