Seasonal cutaneous immune responses in an Antarctic wintering group: no association with testosterone, vitamin D metabolite or anxiety score.
Immune function is modulated by a complex set of neuroendocrine factors including sex hormones, vitamin D metabolites and stress. Antarctic expeditioners exhibit reduced cell mediated immunity. Studies have also shown a reduction in testosterone levels in wintering expeditioners and suggested a correlation between levels of anxiety and reduced immune function in brief trip expeditioners. Nineteen male Antarctic expeditioners were followed by 3 monthly assessments of cell mediated immunity, levels of testosterone and vitamin D metabolite and psychological indicators of anxiety. There was a significant reduction in immune function during the study period, consistent with previous Antarctic studies. Levels of testosterone, anxiety and the immunoregulatory metabolite of vitamin D did not alter significantly. In this group the reduction in immune function did not show a correlation with levels of anxiety or the hormones studied.
Pitson
G A
GA
Department Radiation Oncology, Alfred Hospital, Melboume, Australia.
Lugg
D J
DJ
Muller
H K
HK
D000328:Adult; D001110:Arctic Regions; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons; D012882:Skin Tests; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism
D014807:Vitamin D; D013739:Testosterone