[Immune and autoimmune effects of ethanol]

It is established that ethyl alcohol exhibits both immune and autoimmune effects. The blood of healthy people always contains a small amount of ethanol- and dopamine-sensitized lymphocytes and autoantibodies specific to these compounds. The ability of lymphocytes to interact with ethanol or dopamine bound to erythrocytes shows evidence that the corresponding receptors are available on the erythrocyte membrane. The action of ethanol upon these receptors leads to the development of immune response in vivo and ex vivo. The administration of ethanol is accompanied by an increase in the number of ethanol-sensitive lymphocytes which can be detected, thus indicating the presence of excess ethanol. The blood of patients with alcohol addiction contains of ethanol- and dopamine-sensitized lymphocytes and anti-ethanol antibodies. This is indicative of the permanent pathologic synthesis of autoantibodies specific to ethanol and dopamine. These data confirm the concept of the immune mechanism of chemical homeostasis, according to which the immune system participates in regulation of these biologically active agents and in maintenance of the chemical homeostasis in the organism. These conclusions extend our notions about the immune and autoimmune aspects of pathogenesis of the chronic alcohol intoxication and constitute a basis for further development of the laboratory diagnostic methods.