Immune accentuations as a prognostic factor for adaptation in Antarctic conditions

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4618551/v1

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Immune accentuations as a prognostic factor for adaptation in Antarctic conditions

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4618551/v1

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Human presence and work in Antarctica occur under challenging climatic, psychophysiological, and social conditions. The health of expedition participants is a critical factor, and a pre-expedition medical assessment is extremely important. The immune system plays a crucial role in maintaining satisfactory health and in the successful adaptation to adverse living conditions. In the current study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of previously identified accentuations on the health status of participants and their adaptation to Antarctic conditions. Immunophenotyping was performed on 43 male Ukrainian antarctic expedition (UAE) members before the expedition and after their return, assessing the dynamics of laboratory indicators and conducting a detailed analysis of their health status throughout the entire expedition. According to the results, UAE participants with favorable and unfavorable adaptation showed differences in immunophenotypic indicators. The majority of UAE participants with favorable adaptation had T-helper (CD3 + CD4+) levels (> 35%), balanced (< 24%) expression of HLA-DR on cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CD4 + CD8+), and proportions and absolute levels of NK-lymphocytes (5–18% and 100–400). In contrast, UAE participants with unfavorable adaptation exhibited balanced levels significantly less frequently. NK cell levels within the reference (favorable) range (5–18%) were virtually absent in UAE participants with unfavorable adaptation (1/12), whereas they were typical in participants with favorable adaptation. The combination of two diagnostically significant immune parameters yields higher accuracy. Increased expression of HLA-DR on cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and elevated NK-lymphocyte content significantly enhance the prognostic value of the diagnostic algorithm. Thus, in the group of participants with favorable adaptation, only 9 (30%) had one of these accentuations, while in the group with unfavorable adaptation, all 12 participants had one of these accentuations (P < 0.0001, OR = 59.211). In all Antarctic expedition participants, cortisol levels significantly increased in the first quarter compared to baseline values, followed by dynamic fluctuations throughout the expedition. Cortisol levels returned to baseline after the expedition. The results demonstrate that staying in Antarctica requires adaptive processes that are directly dependent on the balanced function of the immune system. Chronic stress, in conjunction with immune accentuations, complicates successful adaptation. Further investigation into immune processes and adaptation characteristics will allow for the prediction of the risk of adverse adaptation processes, improve participant selection, and facilitate the implementation of proactive measures to prevent the deterioration of the health status of polar expedition members.

Antarctic expedition

NK lymphocytes

NK cytotoxicity

immune accentuations

Antarctic research holds significant importance for global science, particularly in the fields of climatology, biology, geology, and geophysics, and necessitates Antarctic expeditions that are indispensable without human involvement. Human presence and work in Antarctica occur under challenging climatic, physio-psychological, and social conditions. These stress factors impact the physiological state of the expedition participants (Salam 2020). The bodily response to prolonged exposure to extreme conditions evolves over time (Le Roy et al. 2024). The adverse effects that occur in the human body during the stay in Antarctic conditions require thorough study for their timely diagnosis and prevention (Srivastava 2024; Moiseyenko et al. 2016).

The work capacity and health of Antarctic expedition participants are influenced by numerous factors, including physical condition, mental resilience, circadian rhythm, health indicators, and the ability to adapt to the challenges of the Antarctic environment (Palinkas et al. 2000). The health of the expedition members is a critical factor, and pre-expedition medical evaluation is crucial to ensure optimal adaptation processes, and consequently, the health and well-being during the stay in Antarctic conditions (Turner J et al. 2014).

The most thoroughly studied and substantiated changes are those in the psychophysiological state of overwintering personnel (Sandal et al. 2018). Disruption of normal sleep patterns, unprovoked headaches, and autonomic nervous system reactions, as well as mood deterioration and overall malaise, are typical manifestations of Antarctic syndrome. These symptoms are associated with the development of chronic stress and fatigue, slowing down the adaptation processes of psychophysiological functions, which increases the risk of psycho-emotional disorders and disruptions in interpersonal relationships within the small community. The immune system is a critical component of the complex and integral system maintaining the body's homeostasis, and its functioning plays a decisive role in shaping the overall health state (Frasca et al. 2009; Haynes and Maue 2009; Le Garff-Tavernier et al. 2010).

The role of immune factors in adaptation to the adverse conditions of the Antarctic region has been demonstrated in numerous scientific studies (Zabara et al. 2021; Palinkas et al. 2000; McElhaney and Effros; Yadav et al. 2012). In our previous research, we also highlighted the impact of immune factors on adaptation and identified individual immunophenotypes that may be advantageous for certain challenges while disadvantageous for other physiological processes (Dons’koi et al. 2016; Dons’koi et al. 2023).

In the current study, we have summarized the results of a four-year observation of the health status of antarctic expedition participants and investigated the relationship between immunophenotypic characteristics and adaptation processes in Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions.

Study design

A total of 43 male overwintering participants from the Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE) at Akademik Vernadsky station (Station), aged between 23 and 51 years (with an average age of 39.1 years), were studied. The UAE members were assessed for immunophenotypic indicators before and after the expedition. All participants passed a medical examination and were deemed healthy. To evaluate their adaptation status, we analyzed medical reports regarding the health of the UAE participants and their current visits and complaints to the doctor during the overwintering period. Complaints related to traumatic or dental issues were excluded from this analysis and were examined separately in another study.

The majority (n = 31) exhibited favorable adaptation (FA), which included the absence of more than a single complaint with a corresponding visit to the doctor within a month. However, 12 participants demonstrated unfavorable adaptation (UfA). These UAE members reported more than three complaints per month concerning general well-being (fever, catarrhal symptoms, weakness, blood pressure fluctuations, headaches, insomnia, infectious diseases, etc.).

Peripheral blood serum samples were collected before, frozen, and compared with serum samples taken during the expedition and those obtained after returning from the expedition. All participants signed the informed consent form before being enrolled in the study (approved by the Biomedical Ethics Committee of Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Gynecology, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, No. 6, and Clinical Immunology and Allergology Committee of Ministry of Health, No. 11 dated February 14, 2013, ac cording to Declaration of Helsinki).

Immunophenotyping of Lymphocytes by Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry was used for imunophenotype study (as shown in Zabara et al. 2021). Peripheral blood was incubated with monoclonal antibodies labeled with FITC, PE, and PeCy5 according to the manufacturer's instructions (BD Biosciences, USA). Subsequently, the cells were lysed using Lysing Solution (BD Biosciences, USA) and analyzed on a FACScan flow cytometer with CellQuest software (BD Biosciences, USA).

Determination of Cytotoxic Activity of NK Lymphocytes

Peripheral venous blood were collected using the Vacutainer Heparin system (BD Biosciences, USA). Samples were delivered to the laboratory within one hour under appropriate sample preservation conditions. The blood was analyzed no later than 4 hours post-collection (Dons’koi et al. 2022).

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

A solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of testosterone and cortisol, employing test systems from VitoTest ELISA (Ukraine). The determinations were performed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Methods for Statistical Analysis of Results

All obtained results were analyzed and recorded in electronic protocol spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel. Further statistical analysis, including Woolf’s approximation for Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI), Fisher's Exact Test (unpaired, non-parametric, two-sided P value), and Spearman's correlation, was performed using InStat version 3.0 for Windows (GraphPad Software Inc., San Diego, CA, USA).

Immune parameters and health status during stay at the Station

Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE) members with favorable adaptation (FA) and unfavorable adaptation (UfA) exhibited differences in immunophenotypic parameters. The majority of UAE members with FA had levels of T-helper cells (CD3 + CD4+) exceeding 35%, balanced HLA-DR expression on T-cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD4 + CD8+) below 24%, and NK lymphocyte proportions and absolute levels within 5–18% and 100–400, respectively. In contrast, UAE members with UfA exhibited these balanced levels significantly less frequently (Table 1).

Table 1

Association between Elevated Parameters and Prediction of Unfavorable Adaptation to Conditions of Increased Stress Exposure
Favorable range	Participants with favorable course within reference range (n = 31)	Participants with unfavorable course within reference range (n = 12)	Significance of association with favorable course
Level of T-Helper Cells (CD3 + CD4+) (> 35%)	30/31 (96.7%)	8/12 (66.7%)	OR 15.0 p = 0.0168
Expression Level of HLA-DR on T-Cytotoxic Cells (CD3 + CD8+) (< 24%)	30/31 (96.7%)	7/12 (58.4%)	OR 21.4 p = 0.0042
NK Lymphocyte Level (5–18%)	22/31 (70.9%)	1/12 (8.3%)	OR 26.9 p = 0.0003
Absolute Count of NK Lymphocytes (100–400)	21/31 (67.7%)	4/12 (33.3%)	OR 4.2 p = 0.085

These parameters, within their reference ranges, were significantly associated with FA in UAE members (Table 1). Conversely, accentuated levels of these parameters were observed in UAE members with UfA (Table 1). For instance, NK cell levels within the reference (favorable) range of 5–18% were almost never found in UAE members with UfA (1/12), whereas they were typical in participants with FA (Fig. 1).

The combination of two diagnostically significant immune parameters provided higher diagnostic predictive accuracy. Presence of elevated HLA-DR expression on cytotoxic T-lymphocytes or an increased percentage of NK lymphocytes significantly enhanced the predictive value of the diagnostic algorithm. Among the participants with unfavorable adaptation (UfA), only 9 individuals (30%) exhibited one of these accentuations, whereas in the group with favorable adaptation (FA), all 12 participants had one of these accentuations (P < 0.0001, OR = 59.211) (Fig. 2).

The combination of accentuations – a reduced percentage of T-helper cells (CD3 + CD4+) and elevated HLA-DR expression on cytotoxic T-lymphocytes – was highly associated with unfavorable adaptation (UfA). In the UfA group, 6 out of 12 participants (50%) exhibited one of these accentuations, while only 2 out of 31 participants (6.5%) in the FA group had one of these (P = 0.0031, OR = 14.500) (Fig. 3).

Dynamics of Cortisol Levels

In all participants of the Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE), cortisol levels significantly increased in the first quarter compared to the baseline values (p < 0.01) followed by decrease in the second quarter. The average level then rose again in the third quarter, which is 1.7 times higher than the initial level. Average cortisol levels upon return from the expedition reverted to baseline values. Cortisol levels in all UAE exhibited individual dynamics throughout the expedition, yet all participants also demonstrated elevated levels throughout the entire stay at the Antarctic station (Fig. 4A)

Figure 4a. Dynamics of serum cortisol levels in UAE Participants.

4b. Individual Dynamics of Serum cortisol Levels in 26UAE Participants

4c. Individual Dynamics of Serum Testosterone Levels in 26UAE Participants

*P < 0.05 compared to Pre-expedition levels

Testosterone levels exhibited a similar trend (Fig. 4С). Hormonal changes confirm the presence of stress adaptation during the stay at the station in all members of the Antarctic expedition.

The adaptation of participants during antarctic expeditions depends on numerous factors, in particular the personal immune system state plays a leading role.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of lymphocytes and their phenotypic characteristics allow for the determination of the status of cellular, humoral, and innate immunity (Blom et al. 2006). Combined assessment of quantitative and functional lymphocyte characteristics becomes a practical method for evaluating immunity (Williams and Bevan 2007; Wingender G and Kronenberg 2015; Lucas 1995).

NK cells are active producers of cytokines and chemokines, interacting with a variety of other immune cells, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of various inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases (Jiao and Wang, 2016). An accentuated level of NK lymphocytes may be necessary for enhanced control over infectious or autoimmune processes (Penman et al. 2016).

Combining such an accentuated level with an increased content of HLA-DR + CD8 + T lymphocytes supports the presence of a possible chronic inflammatory process, as increased HLA-DR expression on T cells is associated with chronic inflammation persistence and correlates with disease severity (Osypchuk 2016). Additionally, this inflammatory status parameter (percentage of HLA-DR + CD8 + T lymphocytes) correlates with other routine biochemical indicators of overall health status, primarily with low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which are a factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases (Liu et al. 2022).

The immune system in polar explorers plays a significant role in adapting to adverse conditions and chronic stress.

It is well-known that chronic stress is associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, accompanied by an increase in cortisol levels (Spinelli and Werner 2022; Daryl et al. 2020; Lee et al. 2015).

The monitoring results of cortisol levels do not differ from globally recognized data (Strewe et al. 2019; Wright et al. 2015) and once again demonstrated, as in the previous expedition, an increase in cortisol levels during wintering compared to the expedition's outset. However, the elevated cortisol level in all expedition members did not correlate with adaptation.

Testosterone fluctuation levels are undoubtedly associated with changes in other hormone levels, including cortisol, as reflected in the obtained results. The increase in testosterone levels in men does not exceed reference ranges. Similar to cortisol fluctuations, the most significant increase in men is observed in the first quarter of wintering, followed by a moderate decrease and stabilization.

In our previous work, we demonstrated that the same immunophenotype can be extremely favorable in certain physiological conditions and simultaneously unfavorable for the course of another process (Dons'koi et al. 2014). We described immunophenotypes that may be unfavorable for embryo implantation and successful pregnancy outcomes (Dons'koi et al. 2013), associated with latent CMV infection (Dons’koi et al. 2020), and frequent illnesses in children (Osypchuk et al. 2016). Thus, based on an accentuated immunophenotype, it is possible to predict with a certain probability the possibility of a specific adverse physiological process.

In our pilot study, we established a correlation between immunophenotypic indicators of UAE participants and their overall health status and adaptation during wintering. Specifically, accentuated immune parameters such as high levels of NK lymphocytes, increased cytotoxic activity of NK cells, and the expression level of CD8aa on NK lymphocytes, in combination with high levels of HLA-DR expression on T cytotoxic cells, may serve as markers of adverse health conditions in UAE participants and contribute to complications in adaptation processes.

In actual study the data obtained regarding the association of specific immunophenotypes with normal adaptation in UAE participants confirm most of the previous conclusions. We confirmed that thus, among the key accentuated immunological parameters associated with UAE are reduced percentages of T-helper cells (CD3 + CD4+), increased expression of HLA-DR on T cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD4 + CD8+), and increased percentages of NK lymphocytes. All these parameters within certain reference ranges are significantly associated with normal adaptation in UAE participants, while accentuated levels of these parameters are observed in UAE expedition members with complicated adaptation. Combining parameters such as HLA-DR expression on cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD4 + CD8+), increased percentages of NK lymphocytes, or decreased percentages of T-helper cells (CD3 + CD4+), may be used to develop a diagnostic algorithm for predicting adaptation success

High levels of resistance and "stressfulness" of immune mechanisms, as indicated by immune accentuations we observe (high levels of NK lymphocytes, high expression levels of HLA-DR activation marker on cytotoxic T lymphocytes, decreased helper T cell content), may reduce the development of normal adaptability. In the absence of infectious agents, there is high natural resistance that is not effectively engaged in function execution but may lead to adaptation problems to increased stress factors.

Interestingly, similar immunophenotypes with high resistance levels are also found in women with reproductive complications, particularly recurrent pregnancy losses and embryo implantation failures (Dons’koi et al. 2023). This further supports that such immunophenotypes are difficult to regulate and adapt in response to changes in internal and external factors. It has been shown that women whose NK cell levels do not decrease in the early weeks of pregnancy have significantly higher chances of miscarriage compared to women whose NK levels decrease even by a small percentage (Ou 2023).

Thus, chronic stress, combined with immune accentuations, complicates successful adaptation. Further investigation into immune processes and adaptation characteristics will allow for the prediction of the risk of adverse adaptation processes, improve the selection of participants, and facilitate the implementation of proactive measures to prevent the deterioration of the health status of polar expedition members.

Author Contribution

ID - analysis and manuscript preparation, reviewed, contributed to, and approved the final draft of the manuscript.DZ, YaA - laboratory investigation, analysis and manuscript preparation.ID, AK, VM, DM - collection of clinical data and blood samples during UAE.IK - idea of investigation, moderation of investigation and group formation, reviewed, contributed to, and approved the final draft of the manuscript.BD - laboratory investigation, analysis and manuscript preparation, reviewed, contributed to, and approved the final draft of the manuscript.

Acknowledgement

We thank the State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center and the participants of the UAE 25 and 28 for their cooperation and voluntary participation in the study as well as for funding the research. We also express our gratitude to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Air Defense Forces and all partner countries for the opportunity to continue scientific research in peaceful Kyiv.

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No competing interests reported.

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Immune accentuations as a prognostic factor for adaptation in Antarctic conditions

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Version 1

Abstract

Figures

Introduction

Materials and methods

Study design

Immunophenotyping of Lymphocytes by Flow Cytometry

Determination of Cytotoxic Activity of NK Lymphocytes

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Methods for Statistical Analysis of Results

Results

Immune parameters and health status during stay at the Station

Dynamics of Cortisol Levels

Discussion

Declarations

Author Contribution

Acknowledgement

References

Additional Declarations

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