Fetal exposure to ethanol has long-term effects on the severity of influenza virus infections

Jodi McGill; David K Meyerholz; Michelle Edsen-Moore; Betty Young; Ruth A Coleman; Annette J Schlueter; Thomas J Waldschmidt; Robert T Cook; Kevin L Legge

doi:10.4049/jimmunol.0803881

Back

Fetal exposure to ethanol has long-term effects on the severity of influenza virus infections

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Fetal exposure to ethanol has long-term effects on the severity of influenza virus infections

Jodi McGill, David K Meyerholz, Michelle Edsen-Moore, Betty Young, Ruth A Coleman, Annette J Schlueter, Thomas J Waldschmidt, Robert T Cook and Kevin L Legge

The Journal of immunology (1950), Vol.182(12), pp.7803-7808

06/15/2009

DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0803881

PMCID: PMC2692078

PMID: 19494304

View Online

Abstract

Alcohol use by pregnant women is a significant public health issue despite well-described risks to the fetus including physical and intellectual growth retardation and malformations. Although clinical studies are limited, they suggest that in utero alcohol exposure also results in significant immune deficiencies in naive neonates. However, little is known about fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) effects on adult infections. Therefore, to determine the long-term effects of FAE on disease susceptibility and the adult immune system, we infected FAE adult mice with influenza virus. In this study, we demonstrate that mice exposed to ethanol during gestation and nursing exhibit enhanced disease severity as well as increased and sustained pulmonary viral titers following influenza virus infection. Secondary exposure to alcohol as an adult further exacerbates these effects. Moreover, we demonstrate that FAE mice have impaired adaptive immune responses, including decreased numbers of virus-specific pulmonary CD8 T cells, a decreased size and frequency of pulmonary B cell foci, and reduced production of influenza-specific Ab following influenza infection. Together, our results suggest that FAE induces significant and long-term defects in immunity and susceptibility to influenza virus infection and that FAE individuals could be at increased risk for severe and fatal respiratory infections.

Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - immunology

B-Lymphocytes - cytology

Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects

Orthomyxoviridae Infections - complications

Orthomyxoviridae Infections - pathology

Survival Rate

Influenza A Virus, H2N2 Subtype - immunology

Pregnancy

Ethanol - pharmacology

Animals

B-Lymphocytes - immunology

Time Factors

Lymphocyte Count

Female

Mice

Orthomyxoviridae Infections - virology

Orthomyxoviridae Infections - immunology

Disease Models, Animal

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - immunology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Fetal exposure to ethanol has long-term effects on the severity of influenza virus infections
Creators: Jodi McGill - Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
David K Meyerholz
Michelle Edsen-Moore
Betty Young
Ruth A Coleman
Annette J Schlueter
Thomas J Waldschmidt
Robert T Cook
Kevin L Legge
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Journal of immunology (1950), Vol.182(12), pp.7803-7808
DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0803881
PMID: 19494304
PMCID: PMC2692078
NLM abbreviation: J Immunol
ISSN: 0022-1767
eISSN: 1550-6606
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 AA014405-05 / NIAAA NIH HHS AA-014405 / NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA014405 / NIAAA NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/15/2009
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology; Pathology
Record Identifier: 9984047734002771

Metrics

12 Record Views

42 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details