Biochemical changes of plasma in paratroops after parachuting: a preliminary investigation.
OBJECTIVE
To study whether physiological and psychological stresses during parachuting jumps may result in biochemical changes of plasma in parachutists.


METHODS
Differences in the levels of hormones (cortisol, growth hormone, insulin, pancreatic glucagon, endothelin, angiotonin I and II, aldosterone), activities of enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S transferase), levels of the free radical damage indicator malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and the main heat stress protein, HSP70, in the plasma and serum were investigated in control (non-parachuting) and parachuting paratroops.


RESULTS
Significantly higher levels of serum hormones such as growth hormone, insulin, angiotonin 1, renin activities, as well as MDA and plasma TNF-alpha and HSP70 were observed in the parachuting group.


CONCLUSIONS
Whether these changes can potentially serve as useful biomarkers to assess possible abnormal stress in parachutists and to evaluate the health condition and to select parachutists remains to be further studied.
Wu
T C
TC
Institute of Occupational Medicine, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.
Xiong
Y L
YL
Chen
S
S
Leng
S T
ST
Hai
T
T
Tanguay
R M
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000809:Angiotensins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001359:Aviation; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000809:Angiotensins; D016232:Endothelins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D007328:Insulin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000450:Aldosterone; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013006:Growth Hormone; D005934:Glucagon; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D012083:Renin; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide; D006854:Hydrocortisone