NEUROENDOCRINE AND IMMUNE RESPONSES IN HUMANS DURING AND AFTER LONG TERM STAY
AT ISS (IMMUNO)
Research Area: Immune System
Expedition(s): 12-16, 29, 30-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Alexander Chouker, MD, University of Munich, Germany
● Boris Morukov, MD, PhD, Institute for Biomedical Problems,
Moscow, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Neuroendocrine and Immune Responses in Humans During and After Long Term Stay at ISS
(Immuno) provides an understanding for the development of pharmacological tools to counter
unwanted immunological side-effects during long-duration missions in space. The investigation
will also provide insight into the disease process of immune-compromised humans on Earth.
SPACE APPLICATION
Immuno aims to provide the
understanding for the development of
pharmacological tools to countermeasure
unwanted immunological side effects
during long-duration missions into space.EARTH APPLICATION
The Immuno investigation will provide
insight into the disease process of
immunocompromised humans on Earth.RESULTS
Thirty cosmonauts on short-duration (8-
11 days) and long-duration (125-195
days) missions to the International Space
Station (ISS) were studied before launch
and after landing in order to detect
changes in the immune system, which
had been reported in previous studies with short- and long-duration space missions in low-
Earth orbit.
The first results on the Humoral Immune Response (HIR) of ISS cosmonauts focused on
peripheral blood antibodies, T- and B-lymphocyte white blood cell (WBC) populations, cytokines
(cell-signaling agents), as well as natural killer (NK) cells activity in the body’s defense against
bacteria, viruses, and toxins.
No notable changes in the antiviral antibody levels after long- and short-term missions were
observed, and specific antibodies for Epstein-Barr viruses (EBVs), which were often reactivated
Blood sample shows white blood cells: Lymphocytes (L)
and Granulocytes (G). ESA image.