RESUMO
Alcohol consumption is implicated in the genesis of a spectrum of liver abnormalities, which are associated with a number of factors. In the present study, time-dependent effects of ethanol on cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-gamma, VEGF-A and TGF-beta1) in serum, and blood oxidative stress parameters such as reduced glutathione content, TBARS level and activities of GPx, GR, GST, catalase and SOD in 8-10 weeks-old male BALB/c mice have been investigated. Ethanol administered @ 1.6 g/kg body wt/day significantly increased the activities of liver marker enzymes AST, ALT and ALP. Serum nitrite levels and haemolysate TBARS level also increased, while total antioxidant status in serum and GSH content in whole blood hemolysate decreased from 4th week onwards of exposure. In spite of the increased serum nitrite level and GST activity in the haemolysate, albumin level in serum, GPx and GR activities in haemolysate decreased after 12 weeks of exposure. Chronic ethanol treatment did not show any effect on IL-2, but IL-4 level was reduced and other cytokines such as IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta1 and VEGF-A levels were increased significantly after 12 weeks. The study indicates a relationship between free radical generation and immune response, and suggests that ethanol-induced liver damage is associated with oxidative stress and immunological alterations in a time-dependent manner.