BACKGROUND: Antarctica is a challenging environment for humans. It serves as a spaceflight ground analog, reflecting some conditions of long-duration exploration class space missions. The French-Italian Concordia station in interior Antarctica is a high-fidelity analog, located 1000 km from the coast, at an altitude of 3232 m. The aim of this field study was to characterize the extent, dynamics, and key mechanisms of the immune adaptation in humans overwintering at Concordia for 1 year. METHODS: This study assessed immune functions in fourteen crewmembers. Quantitative and phenotypic analyses from human blood were performed using onsite flow cytometry together with specific tests on receptor-dependent and receptor-independent functional innate and adaptive immune responses. Transcriptome analyses and quantitative identification of key response genes were assessed. RESULTS: Dynamic immune activation and a two-step escalation/activation pattern were observed. The early phase was characterized by moderately sensitized global immune responses, while after 3-4 months, immune responses were highly upregulated. The cytokine responses to an ex vivo stimulation were markedly raised above baseline levels. These functional observations were reflected at the gene transcriptional level in particular through the modulation of hypoxia-driven pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed unique insights into the extent, dynamics, and genetics of immune dysfunctions in humans exposed for 1 year to the Antarctic environment at the Concordia station. The scale of immune function was imbalanced toward a sensitizing of inflammatory pathways.
BACKGROUND: Antarctica is a challenging environment for humans. It serves as a spaceflight ground analog, reflecting some conditions of long-duration exploration class space missions. The French-Italian Concordia station in interior Antarctica is a high-fidelity analog, located 1000 km from the coast, at an altitude of 3232 m. The aim of this field study was to characterize the extent, dynamics, and key mechanisms of the immune adaptation in humans overwintering at Concordia for 1 year. METHODS: This study assessed immune functions in fourteen crewmembers. Quantitative and phenotypic analyses from human blood were performed using onsite flow cytometry together with specific tests on receptor-dependent and receptor-independent functional innate and adaptive immune responses. Transcriptome analyses and quantitative identification of key response genes were assessed. RESULTS: Dynamic immune activation and a two-step escalation/activation pattern were observed. The early phase was characterized by moderately sensitized global immune responses, while after 3-4 months, immune responses were highly upregulated. The cytokine responses to an ex vivo stimulation were markedly raised above baseline levels. These functional observations were reflected at the gene transcriptional level in particular through the modulation of hypoxia-driven pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed unique insights into the extent, dynamics, and genetics of immune dysfunctions in humans exposed for 1 year to the Antarctic environment at the Concordia station. The scale of immune function was imbalanced toward a sensitizing of inflammatory pathways.
Authors: Matthias Feuerecker; Claudia Strewe; Martina Aumayr; Tim Heitland; Ulrich Limper; Brian Crucian; Sarah Baatout; Alexander Choukér Journal: Biomedicines Date: 2022-02-15
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Authors: C Strewe; D Moser; J-I Buchheim; H-C Gunga; A Stahn; B E Crucian; B Fiedel; H Bauer; P Gössmann-Lang; D Thieme; E Kohlberg; A Choukèr; M Feuerecker Journal: Biol Sex Differ Date: 2019-04-16 Impact factor: 5.027
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Authors: Elizabeth Pavez Loriè; Sarah Baatout; Alexander Choukér; Judith-Irina Buchheim; Bjorn Baselet; Cinzia Dello Russo; Virginia Wotring; Monica Monici; Lucia Morbidelli; Dimitri Gagliardi; Julia Caroline Stingl; Leonardo Surdo; Vincent Lai Ming Yip Journal: Front Bioeng Biotechnol Date: 2021-12-13
Authors: Karin B Fieten; Marieke T Drijver-Messelink; Annalisa Cogo; Denis Charpin; Milena Sokolowska; Ioana Agache; Luís Manuel Taborda-Barata; Ibon Eguiluz-Gracia; Gerrit J Braunstahl; Sven F Seys; Maarten van den Berge; Konrad E Bloch; Silvia Ulrich; Carlos Cardoso-Vigueros; Jasper H Kappen; Anneke Ten Brinke; Markus Koch; Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann; Pedro da Mata; David J Prins; Suzanne G M A Pasmans; Sarah Bendien; Maia Rukhadze; Mohamed H Shamji; Mariana Couto; Hanneke Oude Elberink; Diego G Peroni; Giorgio Piacentini; Els J M Weersink; Matteo Bonini; Lucia H M Rijssenbeek-Nouwens; Cezmi A Akdis Journal: Allergy Date: 2022-02-15 Impact factor: 14.710