[Purine metabolism and blastogenesis in lymphocytes of alcoholic subjects]

Immune deficiency is characteristic of alcoholic subjects. These subjects usually show altered lymphocyte function. We determined the activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase (ecto-5'N) in lymphocytes from 54 subjects: 15 healthy controls, 28 non-cirrhotic alcoholics, 8 alcoholic cirrhotics and 3 non-alcoholic cirrhotics. Whereas ADA activity was the same for all 54 subjects, ecto-5'N activity was in general lower in alcoholic subjects after cessation of alcohol intake. Following alcohol intoxication, however, ecto-5'N activity increased. The decrease of ecto-5'N activity in alcoholic subjects might be explained by shedding of the ecto-enzyme and alteration of lymphocyte subpopulations. We observed decreased mitogenic-induced lymphoblastic transformation in 3 patients with cirrhosis. All other subjects (including healthy controls) had normal mitogenic-induced blastogenesis. Interestingly, following alcohol intake, non-stimulated lymphoblastic transformation increased, leading to an apparently decreased stimulation index.