Ethanol modulates coronary permeability to macromolecules in murine aids

Background and Aims: The cardiovascular complications of AIDS are serious. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Less is known about how ethanol affects the coronary microcirculation in individuals with AIDS. The aim of this study was to assess the integrity of the coronary microcirculation in murine AIDS mice in the presence or absence of chronic ethanol consumption. Methods: Four groups were studied: control, murine AIDS, ethanol and ethanol plus murine AIDS. Mouse hearts were prepared for direct visualization of the coronary microcirculation and quantification of trans-coronary macromolecular leakage. Hearts were isolated and perfused with diluted rat blood containing fluorescein isothiocyanate-albumin (FITC-BSA). Coronary vessels were observed using intravital fluorescence microscopy after 5, 15 and 25 min of perfusion. The mean luminosity of outside/inside coronary vessels (O/I ratio) was used to quantify FITC-BSA leakage. Results: We found that the mean O/I ratio for the murine AIDS group was significantly greater than in the control group and also significantly increased during the perfusion period. Chronic ethanol consumption did not alter coronary permeability to macromolecules, but improved the coronary haemodynamics in murine AIDS. Conclusions: These findings suggest that murine AIDS impairs the structural and functional coronary endothelium, and moderate ethanol consumption modulates the function of the coronary microcirculation.