Plasma Cytokine Concentrations Indicate That In Vivo Hormonal Regulation of Immunity Is Altered During Long-Duration Spaceflight
Open accessAbstract
Aspects of immune system dysregulation associated with long-duration spaceflight have yet to be fully characterized and may represent a clinical risk to crewmembers during deep space missions. Plasma cytokine concentration may serve as an indicator of in vivo physiological changes or immune system mobilization. The plasma concentrations of 22 cytokines were monitored in 28 astronauts during long-duration spaceflight onboard the International Space Station. Blood samples were collected 3 times before flight, 3–5 times during flight (depending on mission duration), at landing, and 30 days after landing. Analysis was performed by bead array immunoassay. With few exceptions, minimal detectable mean plasma concentrations were observed at baseline (launch minus 180) for innate inflammatory cytokines or adaptive regulatory cytokines; however, interleukin (IL)-1ra and several chemokines and growth factors were constitutively present. An increase in the plasma concentration, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), IL-8, IL-1ra, thrombopoietin (Tpo), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), chemokine ligand 4/macrophage inhibitory protein 1b (CCL4), and C-X-C motif chemokine 5/epithelial neutrophil-activating protein 78 (CXCL5) was observed associated with spaceflight. No significant alterations were observed during or following spaceflight for the inflammatory or adaptive/T-regulatory cytokines: IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), IL-17, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, G-CSF, GM-CSF, FGF basic, CCL3, or CCL5. This pattern of cytokine dysregulation suggests multiple physiological adaptations persist during flight, including inflammation, leukocyte recruitment, angiogenesis, and thrombocyte regulation.
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Spaceflight induces a pro-inflammatory response, as indicated by increases in IL-1ra.
“recent research suggests that spaceflight induces a pro-inflammatory response, as indicated by increases in interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra)13”
From Increased core body temperature in astronauts during long-duration space missions (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
IL-1ra is particularly sensitive during spaceflight with 300- to 600-fold higher increases compared to IL-1α or IL-1β.
“IL-1ra was specifically targeted as it has been shown to be particularly sensitive during spaceflight with 300- to 600-fold higher increases during spaceflight compared to IL-1α or IL-1β13.”
From Increased core body temperature in astronauts during long-duration space missions (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
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- Authors
- Crucian, B. E., Zwart, S. R., Mehta, S., Uchakin, P., Quiriarte, H. D., Pierson, D., Sams, C. F., & Smith, S. M.
- Affiliations
- Johnson Space Center (US)
- Universities Space Research Association (US)
- Ekaterinburg Academy of Contemporary Art (RU)
- Mercer University (US)
- JES Tech (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Crucian, Brian E.
- Venue
- Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2014-10
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 778-786
- ISSN
- 1079-9907 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7465
- PMC
- PMC4186776
- OpenAlex
- W1969082595
- Cited by
- 195
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 7.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotoxicology and immune responses
- Keywords
- long-duration spaceflight, plasma cytokines, immune dysregulation, astronauts, International Space Station, TNF-α, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, chemokines, thrombopoietin, vascular endothelial growth factor, MCP-1, carbon tetrachloride, CXCL5, inflammation, angiogenesis, leukocyte recruitment, megakaryopoiesis, regulatory T cells, deep space missions
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Blood Coagulation, Cell Movement, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Hormones, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Male, Middle Aged, Space Flight, Time Factors, Cytokines, Neovascularization, Physiologic, Adaptive Immunity, Immunomodulation
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