Ethanol exerts anti-inflammatory effects in human adipose tissue in vitro

Moderate alcohol consumption is suggested to be associated with reduced inflammation and morbidity. Human adipose tissue (AT) and obesity is characterised by low-grade inflammation, so the present study wanted to investigate the effects of ethanol on inflammation in human AT in vitro. Subcutaneous human AT was incubated with ethanol [11-88 mM] under non- or LPS-stimulated [50mg/mL] conditions. Protein and mRNA levels of adiponectin, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, MCP-1, and CD68 were assessed using ELISA and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Non-stimulated, ethanol incubations up to 24h increased adiponectin release and mRNA expression (p<0.01) and decreased IL-6 release in both short-term [1.5h] (p<0.05) and long-term [24h] (p<0.01) incubations. Ethanol decreased LPS-stimulated IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and MCP-1 dose-dependently (all p<0.01). Ethanol decreased CD68 mRNA (p<0.001), which correlated with the investigated adipokines (p<0.05) but not adiponectin (p>0.05). In conclusion, ethanol exerts anti-inflammatory effects in human AT, suggesting that ethanol may attenuate whole-body inflammation.