Restoration of ethanol-compromised T_h1 responses by sodium orthovanadate

Alcohol consumption often diminishes antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity. In alcohol-consuming mice IFN-γ and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses are blunted, although antigen-specific T cell proliferation and IL-2 responses are largely unaffected, suggesting that alcohol differentially affects signal transduction pathways. In the present report we explore the use of the phosphatase inhibitor, Na₃VO₄ to restore IFN-γ secretion in the presence of ethanol both in vivo and in vitro. We show that Na₃VO₄ restores IFN-γ in vitro and antigen-specific DTH in vivo to the levels seen in alcohol non-consuming mice. Our data support the contention that ethanol, by up-regulating phosphotyrosine phosphatase, diminishes the IFN-γ signal transduction pathway.