Table 3.

T-Cells, Alcohol, and Potential Epigenetic Targets

T-Cells Subtype	Major Roles Following Activation by Specific Antigen-Presenting–Cell Interaction	Defects Caused by Chronic Alcohol	Potential Epigenetic Targets
CD8+Cytolytic T-cells	Direct pathogen killing	↓ CD8 + production in spleen and thymus1 ↑ soluble CD8→ blocks APC activation2
CD4+T helper 1 (Th1)	↑ IFNγ → activates macrophages and cytolytic T-cells	↓ CD4 + production in spleen and thymus1 ↓IL-12 production by DC → ↓Th1 lineage specification3	↓ DNA methylation → ↑transcription of the gene coding for IFNγ (Ifng)4
CD4+T helper 2 (Th2)	↑ IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 → activates eosinophils ↑antibody production by plasma cells Important for humoral immunity and allergic response	↓ CD4+ production in spleen and thymus1 ↓Th1+ and ↓Th17→ Th2 predominates	↑ DNA methylation → ↓ transcription of gene coding for IL-4 (Il4)5 ↑ histone acetylation → ↓ Il4 transcription6
CD4+T helper 17 (Th17)	↑ IL-17, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IL-26 → ↑Antimicrobial peptides Important for mucosal barrier maintenance and immunity	↓ CD4+ production in spleen and thymus1 ↓IL-23 production by macrophages → ↓Th17 lineage specification7

SOURCES:

¹Saad and Jerrells, 1991,

²Jerrells et al., 2002,

³Mandrekar et al., 2004,

⁴Young et al., 1994,

⁵Lee et al., 2002,

⁶Valapouret al., 2002,

⁷Happel et al., 2006.