Biomaterial Database

Alcohol abuse, the alveolar macrophage and pneumonia. 2012

Ashish J Mehta, and David M Guidot

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. ashish.mehta@emory.edu

Alcohol use, and misuse, has been a part of human culture for thousands of years. In the modern medical era, a great deal of attention has been justifiably focused on elucidating the mechanisms underlying the psychological and biological addiction to alcohol. However, a significant percentage, if not the majority, of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality occurs in individuals who do not meet the formal diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders. For example, many serious medical consequences of chronic alcohol ingestion can occur in individuals who do not have signs or symptoms of alcohol dependence. There is now clear evidence that even in otherwise healthy-appearing individuals who chronically consume excessive amounts of alcohol, alveolar macrophage immune capacity is impaired and, as a consequence, these individuals are at significantly increased risk of pneumonia. This brief review summarizes some of the key mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and proposes a hypothetical scheme by which alcohol interferes with zinc bioavailability within the alveolar space and thereby dampens macrophage function.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011014	Pneumonia	Infection of the lung often accompanied by inflammation.	Experimental Lung Inflammation,Lobar Pneumonia,Lung Inflammation,Pneumonia, Lobar,Pneumonitis,Pulmonary Inflammation,Experimental Lung Inflammations,Inflammation, Experimental Lung,Inflammation, Lung,Inflammation, Pulmonary,Inflammations, Lung,Inflammations, Pulmonary,Lobar Pneumonias,Lung Inflammation, Experimental,Lung Inflammations,Lung Inflammations, Experimental,Pneumonias,Pneumonias, Lobar,Pneumonitides,Pulmonary Inflammations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000437	Alcoholism	A primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic. (Morse & Flavin for the Joint Commission of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine to Study the Definition and Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alcoholism: in JAMA 1992;268:1012-4)	Alcohol Abuse,Alcoholic Intoxication, Chronic,Ethanol Abuse,Alcohol Addiction,Alcohol Dependence,Alcohol Use Disorder,Abuse, Alcohol,Abuse, Ethanol,Addiction, Alcohol,Alcohol Use Disorders,Chronic Alcoholic Intoxication,Dependence, Alcohol,Intoxication, Chronic Alcoholic,Use Disorders, Alcohol
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.
D015398	Signal Transduction	The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway.	Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D016178	Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor	An acidic glycoprotein of MW 23 kDa with internal disulfide bonds. The protein is produced in response to a number of inflammatory mediators by mesenchymal cells present in the hemopoietic environment and at peripheral sites of inflammation. GM-CSF is able to stimulate the production of neutrophilic granulocytes, macrophages, and mixed granulocyte-macrophage colonies from bone marrow cells and can stimulate the formation of eosinophil colonies from fetal liver progenitor cells. GM-CSF can also stimulate some functional activities in mature granulocytes and macrophages.	CSF-GM,Colony-Stimulating Factor, Granulocyte-Macrophage,GM-CSF,Histamine-Producing Cell-Stimulating Factor,CSF-2,TC-GM-CSF,Tumor-Cell Human GM Colony-Stimulating Factor,Cell-Stimulating Factor, Histamine-Producing,Colony Stimulating Factor, Granulocyte Macrophage,Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor,Histamine Producing Cell Stimulating Factor,Tumor Cell Human GM Colony Stimulating Factor
D016676	Macrophages, Alveolar	Round, granular, mononuclear phagocytes found in the alveoli of the lungs. They ingest small inhaled particles resulting in degradation and presentation of the antigen to immunocompetent cells.	Alveolar Macrophages,Macrophages, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Macrophages,Macrophage, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Macrophage,Alveolar Macrophage,Macrophage, Alveolar
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus