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Influences of Distress and Alcohol Consumption on the Development of a Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity Skin Test Response

From the School of Psychology, University of Western Sydney (A.J.S); School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (U.V-C., B.B.); Brain and Mind Institute, Sydney University (I.B.H.); and Inflammation Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales (A.R.L.).

Address correspondence and reprint requests to A.J. Smith, PhD, School of Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797 Penrith South DC, NSW, 1797 Australia. E-mail: aj.smith{at}uws.edu.au

OBJECTIVE: This paper reports the effects of naturally occurring levels of distress on the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test responses. These in vivo measures provide a biologically relevant assessment of cellular immune competence.

METHODS: Subjects (N = 166) were immunized (baseline) with the novel antigen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and DTH skin test responses against KLH were assessed 3 weeks later (follow-up). The CMI Multitest (Merieux, France), which evaluates DTH responses to a panel of seven antigens, was also administered at follow-up. Emotional distress was assessed at baseline and follow-up by the Profile of Mood States.

RESULTS: Distress levels at baseline were associated with a reduced likelihood of developing DTH responses against KLH at follow-up (r = –0.22, p = .01). There was no relationship between distress at follow-up and cutaneous DTH in response to KLH (r = 0.09, p = .24) or in the Multitest (r = –0.03, p = .70). In addition, higher levels of alcohol consumption at baseline (r = –0.19, p = .02) and at follow-up (r = –0.20, p = .01) were associated with a decreased likelihood of developing cutaneous DTH against KLH.

CONCLUSIONS: Everyday levels of distress predicted the capacity of the cellular arm of the immune system to exhibit recall responses to an antigen, when the experimental paradigm allowed the assessment of distress at the time of antigen sensitization. Moderate alcohol consumption independently affected cutaneous DTH.

Key Words: Keyhole limpet hemocyanin, • alcohol, • psychoneuroimmunology, • distress, • delayed-type hypersensitivity.

Abbreviations: DTH = delayed-type hypersensitivity;; KLH = keyhole limpet hemocyanin;; POMS = profile of mood states.