[The effect of alcohol on the immune system and cytokines].

Chronic alcoholism is a disease, which is known to affect individual's resistance to infections. Alcohol has a variety of short- and long-term effects on cell mediated and humoral immune response. Alcohol also affects the production, site of action and metabolism of cytokines, which are regulatory peptides of the immune and inflammatory response of lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages and a variety of other cell types. In this review, current knowledge regarding the effect of alcohol on the immune system and the release and action of cytokines in humans and in animal models, in vivo and in vitro, is presenting. Furthermore, the role of cytokines in development of alcoholic liver disease is also discussed.