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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jürgen Gallinat
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Simone Kühn
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
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Strewe C, Moser D, Buchheim JI, Gunga HC, Stahn A, Crucian BE, Fiedel B, Bauer H, Gössmann-Lang P, Thieme D, Kohlberg E, Choukèr A, Feuerecker M. Sex differences in stress and immune responses during confinement in Antarctica. Biol Sex Differ 2019; 10:20. [PMID: 30992051 PMCID: PMC6469129 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-019-0231-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Antarctica challenges human explorers by its extreme environment. The effects of these unique conditions on the human physiology need to be understood to best mitigate health problems in Antarctic expedition crews. Moreover, Antarctica is an adequate Earth-bound analogue for long-term space missions. To date, its effects on human physiology have been studied mainly in male cohorts though more female expeditioners and applicants in astronaut training programs are selected. Therefore, the identification of sex differences in stress and immune reactions are becoming an even more essential aim to provide a more individualized risk management. Methods Ten female and 16 male subjects participated in three 1-year expeditions to the German Antarctic Research Station Neumayer III. Blood, saliva, and urine samples were taken 1–2 months prior to departure, subsequently every month during their expedition, and 3–4 months after return from Antarctica. Analyses included cortisol, catecholamine and endocannabinoid measurements; psychological evaluation; differential blood count; and recall antigen- and mitogen-stimulated cytokine profiles. Results Cortisol showed significantly higher concentrations in females than males during winter whereas no enhanced psychological stress was detected in both sexes. Catecholamine excretion was higher in males than females but never showed significant increases compared to baseline. Endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamides increased significantly in both sexes and stayed consistently elevated during the confinement. Cytokine profiles after in vitro stimulation revealed no sex differences but resulted in significant time-dependent changes. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in males than females, and hemoglobin increased significantly in both sexes compared to baseline. Platelet counts were significantly higher in females than males. Leukocytes and granulocyte concentrations increased during confinement with a dip for both sexes in winter whereas lymphocytes were significantly elevated in both sexes during the confinement. Conclusions The extreme environment of Antarctica seems to trigger some distinct stress and immune responses but—with the exception of cortisol and blood cell counts—without any major relevant sex-specific differences. Stated sex differences were shown to be independent of enhanced psychological stress and seem to be related to the environmental conditions. However, sources and consequences of these sex differences have to be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Strewe
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - D Moser
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - J-I Buchheim
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - H-C Gunga
- Institut für Physiologie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Stahn
- Institut für Physiologie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - B E Crucian
- NASA - Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - B Fiedel
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - H Bauer
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - P Gössmann-Lang
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - D Thieme
- Institute of Doping Analysis und Sports Biochemistry, Kreischa, Germany
| | - E Kohlberg
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - A Choukèr
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| | - M Feuerecker
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
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Strewe C, Thieme D, Dangoisse C, Fiedel B, van den Berg F, Bauer H, Salam AP, Gössmann-Lang P, Campolongo P, Moser D, Quintens R, Moreels M, Baatout S, Kohlberg E, Schelling G, Choukèr A, Feuerecker M. Modulations of Neuroendocrine Stress Responses During Confinement in Antarctica and the Role of Hypobaric Hypoxia. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1647. [PMID: 30534078 PMCID: PMC6276713 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Antarctic continent is an environment of extreme conditions. Only few research stations exist that are occupied throughout the year. The German station Neumayer III and the French-Italian Concordia station are such research platforms and human outposts. The seasonal shifts of complete daylight (summer) to complete darkness (winter) as well as massive changes in outside temperatures (down to -80°C at Concordia) during winter result in complete confinement of the crews from the outside world. In addition, the crew at Concordia is subjected to hypobaric hypoxia of ∼650 hPa as the station is situated at high altitude (3,233 m). We studied three expedition crews at Neumayer III (sea level) (n = 16) and two at Concordia (high altitude) (n = 15) to determine the effects of hypobaric hypoxia on hormonal/metabolic stress parameters [endocannabinoids (ECs), catecholamines, and glucocorticoids] and evaluated the psychological stress over a period of 11 months including winter confinement. In the Neumayer III (sea level) crew, EC and n-acylethanolamide (NAE) concentrations increased significantly already at the beginning of the deployment (p < 0.001) whereas catecholamines and cortisol remained unaffected. Over the year, ECs and NAEs stayed elevated and fluctuated before slowly decreasing till the end of the deployment. The classical stress hormones showed small increases in the last third of deployment. By contrast, at Concordia (high altitude), norepinephrine concentrations increased significantly at the beginning (p < 0.001) which was paralleled by low EC levels. Prior to the second half of deployment, norepinephrine declined constantly to end on a low plateau level, whereas then the EC concentrations increased significantly in this second period during the overwintering (p < 0.001). Psychometric data showed no significant changes in the crews at either station. These findings demonstrate that exposition of healthy humans to the physically challenging extreme environment of Antarctica (i) has a distinct modulating effect on stress responses. Additionally, (ii) acute high altitude/hypobaric hypoxia at the beginning seem to trigger catecholamine release that downregulates the EC response. These results (iii) are not associated with psychological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Strewe
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Detlef Thieme
- Institute of Doping Analysis and Sports Biochemistry, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Barbara Fiedel
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | | | - Holger Bauer
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Alex P Salam
- IPEV/PNRA-ESA Antarctic Program, Brest, Antarctica
| | - Petra Gössmann-Lang
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Dominique Moser
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Roel Quintens
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKCEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Marjan Moreels
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKCEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKCEN), Mol, Belgium.,Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eberhard Kohlberg
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Gustav Schelling
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Choukèr
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Feuerecker
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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Steinach M, Kohlberg E, Maggioni MA, Mendt S, Opatz O, Stahn A, Gunga HC. Sleep Quality Changes during Overwintering at the German Antarctic Stations Neumayer II and III: The Gender Factor. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150099. [PMID: 26918440 PMCID: PMC4769303 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Antarctic residence holds many challenges to human physiology, like increased psycho-social tension and altered circadian rhythm, known to influence sleep. We assessed changes in sleep patterns during 13 months of overwintering at the German Stations Neumayer II and III from 2008 to 2014, with focus on gender, as many previous investigations were inconclusive regarding gender-based differences or had only included men. Materials & Methods Time in bed, sleep time, sleep efficiency, number of arousals, sleep latency, sleep onset, sleep offset, and physical activity level were determined twice per month during seven overwintering campaigns of n = 54 participants (37 male, 17 female) using actimetry. Data were analyzed using polynomial regression and analysis of covariance for change over time with the covariates gender, inhabited station, overwintering season and influence of physical activity and local sunshine radiation. Results We found overall longer times in bed (p = 0.004) and sleep time (p = 0.014) for women. The covariate gender had a significant influence on time in bed (p<0.001), sleep time (p<0.001), number of arousals (p = 0.04), sleep latency (p = 0.04), and sleep onset (p<0.001). Women separately (p = 0.02), but not men (p = 0.165), showed a linear increase in number of arousals. Physical activity decreased over overwintering time for men (p = 0.003), but not for women (p = 0.174). The decline in local sunshine radiation led to a 48 minutes longer time in bed (p<0.001), 3.8% lower sleep efficiency (p<0.001), a delay of 32 minutes in sleep onset (p<0.001), a delay of 54 minutes in sleep offset (p<0.001), and 11% less daily energy expenditure (p<0.001), for all participants in reaction to the Antarctic winter’s darkness-phase. Conclusions Overwinterings at the Stations Neumayer II and III are associated with significant changes in sleep patterns, with dependences from overwintering time and local sunshine radiation. Gender appears to be an influence, as women showed a declining sleep quality, despite that their physical activity remained unchanged, suggesting other causes such as a higher susceptibility to psycho-social stress and changes in environmental circadian rhythm during long-term isolation in Antarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Steinach
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Eberhard Kohlberg
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Martina Anna Maggioni
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan Mendt
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Opatz
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Stahn
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanns-Christian Gunga
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Steinach M, Kohlberg E, Maggioni MA, Mendt S, Opatz O, Stahn A, Tiedemann J, Gunga HC. Changes of 25-OH-Vitamin D during Overwintering at the German Antarctic Stations Neumayer II and III. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144130. [PMID: 26641669 PMCID: PMC4671590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Humans in Antarctica face different environmental challenges, such as low ultra-violet radiation, which is crucial for vitamin D production in humans. Therefore we assessed changes in 25-OH-vitamin D serum concentration during 13 months of overwintering at the German Stations Neumayer II and III (2007–2012). We hypothesized that (i) 25-OH-vitamin D serum concentration would significantly decrease, (ii) changes would be affected by age, gender, baseline (i.e. pre-overwintering) fat mass, baseline 25-OH-vitamin D serum concentration, and station residence, and (iii) our results would not differ from similar previous studies in comparable high latitudes. Materials & Methods 25-OH-vitamin D serum concentrations were determined before, after, and monthly during the campaigns from venous blood samples of n = 43 participants (28 men, 15 women). Baseline fat mass was determined via bio impedance analysis and body plethysmography. Data were analyzed for change over time, dependency on independent parameters, and after categorization for sufficiency (>50nmol/l), insufficiency (25-50nmol/l), and deficiency (<25nmol/l). Results were compared with data from similar previous studies. Results We found a significant decrease of 25-OH-vitamin D with dependency on month. Age, gender, fat mass, and station residence had no influence. Only baseline 25-OH-vitamin D serum concentrations significantly affected subsequent 25-OH-vitamin D values. Conclusions Overwinterings at the Antarctic German research stations Neumayer II and III are associated with a decrease in 25-OH-vitamin D serum concentrations, unaffected by age, gender, baseline fat mass, and station residence. Higher baseline vitamin D serum concentrations might protect from subsequent deficiencies. Residence at the Neumayer Stations may lead to lower vitamin D serum concentrations than found in other comparable high latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Steinach
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Eberhard Kohlberg
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Martina Anna Maggioni
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan Mendt
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Opatz
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Stahn
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Josefine Tiedemann
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanns-Christian Gunga
- Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Institute for Physiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Gunga HC, Kirsch KA, Roecker L, Kohlberg E, Tiedemann J, Steinach M, Schobersberger W. Erythropoietin regulations in humans under different environmental and experimental conditions. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2007; 158:287-97. [PMID: 17467346 DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2007.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2007] [Revised: 03/02/2007] [Accepted: 03/03/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In the adult human, the kidney is the main organ for the production and release of erythropoietin (EPO). EPO is stimulating erythropoiesis by increasing the proliferation, differentiation and maturation of the erythroid precursors. In the last decades, enormous efforts were made in the purification, molecular encoding and description of the EPO gene. This led to an incredible increase in the understanding of the EPO-feedback-regulation loop at a molecular level, especially the oxygen-dependent EPO gene expression, a key function in the regulation loop. However, studies in humans at a systemic level are still very scanty. Therefore, it is the purpose of the present review to report on the main recent investigations on EPO production and release in humans under different environmental and experimental conditions, including: (i) studies on EPO circadian, monthly and even annual variations, (ii) studies in connection with short-, medium- and long-term exercise at sea-level which will be followed (iii) by studies performed at moderate and high altitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- H-C Gunga
- Institut für Physiologie, Zentrum für Weltraummedizin Berlin, Charite Campus Benjamin Franklin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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