Supernatants from ethanol-containing macrophage cultures have cytotoxic activity

After macrophages are cultured in the presence of ethanol (0.1-2.0 mg/ml) for 72 hr, the culture supernatant contains one or more cytotoxic factors which cause the detachment of mouse A9 tumour cells and a reduction of 3H-thymidine incorporation by K562 cells. The cytotoxic activity is largely abolished by heating to 56 degrees C for 10 min and is non-dialysable and hence associated with material having a molecular weight greater than about 10,000. These in vitro data support the possibility that alcohol-induced tissue damage may result from the action of cytotoxic factors generated as a consequence of an interaction between ethanol and tissue macrophages in vivo.