AUTHOR=Buchheim Judith-Irina , Matzel Sandra , Rykova Marina , Vassilieva Galina , Ponomarev Sergey , Nichiporuk Igor , Hörl Marion , Moser Dominique , Biere Katharina , Feuerecker Matthias , Schelling Gustav , Thieme Detlef , Kaufmann Ines , Thiel Manfred , Choukèr Alexander TITLE=Stress Related Shift Toward Inflammaging in Cosmonauts After Long-Duration Space Flight JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00085 DOI=10.3389/fphys.2019.00085 ISSN=1664-042X ABSTRACT=
Space flight exerts a specific conglomerate of stressors on humans that can modulate the immune system. The mechanism remains to be elucidated and the consequences for cosmonauts in the long term are unclear. Most of the current research stems from short-term spaceflights as well as pre- and post-flight analyses due to operational limitations. Immune function of 12 cosmonauts participating in a long-duration (>140 days) spaceflight mission was monitored pre-, post-, and on two time-points in-flight. While the classical markers for stress such as cortisol in saliva where not significantly altered, blood concentrations of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) were found to be highly increased in-flight indicating a biological stress response. Moreover, subjects showed a significant rise in white blood cell counts. Neutrophils, monocytes and B cells increased by 50% whereas NK cells dropped by nearly 60% shortly after landing. Analysis of blood smears showed that lymphocyte percentages, though unchanged pre- and post-flight were elevated in-flight. Functional tests on the ground revealed stable cellular glutathione levels, unaltered baseline and stimulated ROS release in neutrophils but an increased shedding of L-selectin post-flight.