Ethanol promotes T cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway

Clinical reports suggest that acute ethanol intoxication is often associated with lymphopenia. Previously, ethanol was reported to invoke thymocyte apoptosis. We studied the effect of ethanol on T cell apoptosis. In addition, we evaluated the molecular mechanism of ethanol-induced T cell apoptosis. Human T cells harvested from healthy subjects after an alcohol drinking binge showed enhanced T cell apoptosis (before, 0·4 ± 0·2% versus after, 19·6 ± 2·5% apoptotic lymphocytes/field; P < 0·001). In in vitro studies, ethanol in a concentration of 50 mm and higher enhanced the apoptosis of Jurkat cells. DNA isolated from ethanol-treated Jurkat cells displayed integer multiples of 180 base pairs. Ethanol decreased Jurkat cell expression of Bcl-2, whereas ethanol increased Jurkat cell expression of Bax. Jurkat cells treated with ethanol also showed translocation of cytochrome C into cytosol. Moreover, a caspase-9 inhibitor partially inhibited ethanol-induced Jurkat cell apoptosis. In in vivo studies, after binge drinking, T cell expression of Bcl-2 also decreased. In addition, binge drinking induced the cleavage of caspase-3, suggesting activation of caspase-3 in T cells. These results suggest that ethanol promotes T cell apoptosis through the activation of intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway

Epiglottic masses identified on CT imaging: A case report and review of the broad differential diagnosis

Epiglottic masses may be cystic, granulomatous, infectious, benign or malignant neoplastic, or manifestations of a systemic disease. When large in size, the airway may become obstructed, and when accompanied by suspicious features such as cartilaginous invasion, extension to the pre-epiglottic or para-glottic spaces, or lymphadenopathy, the radiologist must consider malignancy as a primary differential diagnosis. However, when only benign features are identified, the differential diagnosis is broad. We present a 65-year-old female with an incidental 1 cm exophytic, pedunculated, papillomatous lesion on the laryngeal surface of the epiglottis discovered upon endoscopic evaluation for dyspepsia and heartburn. Because of her risk factors for malignancy, CT scan was requested and revealed only benign features. Subsequent excisional biopsy revealed a benign squamous papilloma; however, multiple additional differential considerations were entertained preoperatively

Longitudinal Effects of SafeTalk, a Motivational Interviewing-Based Program to Improve Safer Sex Practices Among People Living with HIV/AIDS

Programs to help people living with HIV/AIDS practice safer sex are needed to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We sought to assess the impact of SafeTalk, a multicomponent motivational interviewing-based safer sex program, on HIV-infected patients’ risky sexual behavior. We enrolled sexually active adult HIV-infected patients from one of three clinical sites in North Carolina and randomized them to receive the 4-session SafeTalk intervention versus a hearthealthy attention-control. There was no significant difference in the proportion of people having unprotected sex between the two arms at enrollment. SafeTalk significantly reduced the number of unprotected sex acts with at-risk partners from baseline, while in controls the number of unprotected sex acts increased. Motivational interviewing can provide an effective, flexible prevention intervention for a heterogeneous group of people living with HIV