What are the effects of alcoholism on the immune system? Drs. Crews, Zou and Coleman researched the responses of the neuroimmune system to alcohol. They found that a pro-inflammatory protein complex – the HMGB1-IL 1b complex – is more common in people who suffer from alcohol-use disorder. By studying this complex in brain cultures, they found that alcohol exposure elevated levels of these proteins, triggering inflammation in the brain. This study opens the door to new treatments for alcohol-use disorder specifically targeting the HMGB1-IL 1b complexes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29102800
