 The study shows that acute exposure to alcohol impairs macrophage ephrocytosis by inhibiting milk fat globule GF factor 8, MFG E8, gene expression through a reactive oxygen species dependent mechanism while chronic alcohol exposure enhances MFG E8 gene expression and ephrocytosis. However, HMGB1 levels increase in serum with chronic feeding of mice with alcohol, which attenuates the direct effect of chronic alcohol on macrophage ephrocytosis in vivo. The balance between MFG E8 and HMGB1 levels determines pathophysiological effects of chronic alcohol exposure on macrophage ephrocytosis in vivo. This article was authored by Xia Wang, Nfubiu, Wei Zhong, and others.