Antarctic isolation: Immune and viral studies

• Published in: Immunology and Cell Biology
• Main Authors: Tingate, TR, Lugg, DJ, Muller, HK, Stowe, RP, Pierson, DL
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell 1997
• Subjects: Medical and Health Sciences; Immunology; Cellular Immunology; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.1997.42; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9243293; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/10961

Stressful environmental conditions are a major determinant of immune reactivity. This effect is pronounced in Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition populations exposed to prolonged periods of isolation in the Antarctic. Alterations of T cell function, including depression of cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity responses and a peak 48.9% reduction of T cell proliferation to the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin, were documented during a 9-month period of isolation. T cell dysfunction was mediated by changes within the peripheral blood mononuclear cell compartment, including a paradoxical atypical monocytosis associated with altered production of inflammatory cytokines. There was a striking reduction in the production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the predominant pro-inflammatory monokine TNF- and changes were also detected in the production of IL-1, IL- 2, IL-6, IL-1ra and IL-10. Prolonged Antarctic isolation is also associated with altered latent herpesvirus homeostasis, including increased herpesvirus shedding and expansion of the polyclonal latent Epstein-Barr virus-infected B cell population. These findings have important long-term health implications.