Multiple latent viruses reactivate in astronauts during Space Shuttle missions

[adreno]

Never knew about this. It seems increased stress associated with space flight can reactivate latent viruses.

Brain Behav Immun. 2014 Oct;41:210-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.05.014. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

Multiple latent viruses reactivate in astronauts during Space Shuttle missions.

Mehta SK1, Laudenslager ML2, Stowe RP3, Crucian BE4, Sams CF5, Pierson DL6.

Abstract
Latent virus reactivation and diurnal salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone were measured prospectively in 17 astronauts (16 male and 1 female) before, during, and after short-duration (12-16 days) Space Shuttle missions. Blood, urine, and saliva samples were collected during each of these phases. Antiviral antibodies and viral load (DNA) were measured for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Three astronauts did not shed any virus in any of their samples collected before, during, or after flight. EBV was shed in the saliva in all of the remaining 14 astronauts during all 3 phases of flight. Seven of the 14 EBV-shedding subjects also shed VZV during and after the flight in their saliva samples, and 8 of 14 EBV-shedders also shed CMV in their urine samples before, during, and after flight. In 6 of 14 crewmembers, all 3 target viruses were shed during one or more flight phases.

Both EBV and VZV DNA copies were elevated during the flight phase relative to preflight or post-flight levels. EBV DNA in peripheral blood was increased preflight relative to post-flight. Eighteen healthy controls were also included in the study. Approximately 2-5% of controls shed EBV while none shed VZV or CMV.

Salivary cortisol measured preflight and during flight were elevated relative to post-flight. In contrast DHEA decreased during the flight phase relative to both preflight and post-flight. As a consequence, the molar ratio of the area under the diurnal curve of cortisol to DHEA with respect to ground (AUCg) increased significantly during flight. This ratio was unrelated to viral shedding.

In summary, three herpes viruses can reactivate individually or in combination during spaceflight.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24886968

 

[Sidereal]

They also develop other eerily similar abnormalities like low blood volume and OI/POTS:

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...between-me-cfs-patients-and-astronauts.20141/

 

[adreno]

It would seem logical then, that stress could also be a factor in the pathogenesis of ME/CFS.

My OI/POTS problems started after using adrenal glandulars. I am not sure why, as many have used them without issue. But perhaps the extra cortisol reactivated a latent virus?

I'm guessing it could have caused the immune hyper reaction described by Lipkin et al., creating autoantibodies blocking adrenoceptors. Interestingly alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonism markedly improves my OI.

 

[Simon]

They also develop other eerily similar abnormalities like low blood volume and OI/POTS:

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...between-me-cfs-patients-and-astronauts.20141/

I think OI/POTS and low blood volume are linked to microgravity and resulting deconditioning rather than any viral activation (NASA ran a lot of bed rest earthbound studies to investigate). One striking feature of these studies, even those involving severe deconditioning (3 months bed rest!) is there are minimal reports of fatige (even less of mental fatigue and PEM), apart from on reconditioning, when the fatigue is quickly overcome.

 

[Sidereal]

I think OI/POTS and low blood volume are linked to microgravity and resulting deconditioning rather than any viral activation (NASA ran a lot of bed rest earthbound studies to investigate). One striking feature of these studies, even those involving severe deconditioning (3 months bed rest!) is there are minimal reports of fatige (even less of mental fatigue and PEM), apart from on reconditioning, when the fatigue is quickly overcome.

Hi Simon, I didn't say herpes virus reactivations played an aetiological role in OI/POTS. I don't believe they have any causal role in ME/CFS. I view our inability to keep them in check as a consequence of the underlying disease.

 

[adreno]

I think OI/POTS and low blood volume are linked to microgravity and resulting deconditioning rather than any viral activation

That may be different from ME/CFS related OI, which certainly isn't due to deconditioning, but much more likely due to antibodies.

 

[Sidereal]

I'm guessing it could have caused the immune hyper reaction described by Lipkin et al., creating autoantibodies blocking adrenoceptors. Interestingly alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonism markedly improves my OI.

There was that recent paper suggesting there may be autoantibodies against adrenergic receptors in POTS.

http://jaha.ahajournals.org/content/3/1/e000755.full

 

[Simon]

That may be different from ME/CFS related OI, which certainly isn't due to deconditioning, but much more likely due to antibodies.

There was that recent paper suggesting there may be autoantibodies against adrenergic receptors in POTS.

http://jaha.ahajournals.org/content/3/1/e000755.full

My point is there is good evidence the astronaut oi/pots and blood volume issues are down to deconditioning (latent viral activation is different) and I would be wary about wrapping up the whole lot together and saying 'ME is like the effects of space travel' - there appear to be multiple things going on here.

 

[adreno]

There was that recent paper suggesting there may be autoantibodies against adrenergic receptors in POTS.

http://jaha.ahajournals.org/content/3/1/e000755.full

Thanks, I was aware of this paper. The conclusion describes my symptoms very well:

POTS patients have elevated α1AR autoantibodies exerting a partial peripheral antagonist effect resulting in a compensatory sympathoneural activation of α1AR for vasoconstriction and concurrent βAR‐mediated tachycardia. Coexisting β1AR and β2AR agonistic autoantibodies facilitate this tachycardia. These findings may explain the increased standing plasma norepinephrine and excessive tachycardia observed in many POTS patients.

 

[SDSue]

Hi Simon, I didn't say herpes virus reactivations played an aetiological role in OI/POTS. I don't believe they have any causal role in ME/CFS. I view our inability to keep them in check as a consequence of the underlying disease.

Agreed. Is it at all possible that OI/POTS has a causal role in the replication of viruses? There's got to be a reason for the astronaut's reactivation. Does low blood volume negatively affect the immune system? Did the 3 who shed no viruses before, during, and after experience the same loss of blood volume? Who, what, when, where, why?

 

[anciendaze]

My point is there is good evidence the astronaut oi/pots and blood volume issues are down to deconditioning (latent viral activation is different) and I would be wary about wrapping up the whole lot together and saying 'ME is like the effects of space travel' - there appear to be multiple things going on here.

There is an obvious problem in microgravity caused by disturbance in baroreflex. If this is not used for a period of months it should be no surprise that homeostasis becomes less reliable. This is also connected to control of volume, because these receptors are used to adjust volume of circulating fluid. There don't appear to be other good mechanisms for adapting to such an unnatural prolonged condition. Naturally, direct damage to nerves with such receptors can also cause homeostasis to become unreliable.

Lack of exercise in legs also affects circulation directly, since venous blood is pumped back toward the heart by what amount to check valves in veins. The effectiveness of immune response is directly related to circulation, since this determines the rate at which immune cells are carried to tissues, and the rate at which information from tissues acquired by the cellular immune system is carried back to other components of the immune system. Doctors dealing with paralyzed patients, or patients with heart failure, should be well aware of the risk of developing immune dysfunction.

The problem of deconditioning in spaceflight is quite different from ME/CFS in one respect. When I looked at older research I saw no evidence of a prolonged drop in aerobic capacity following exercise as happens in PEM. (Anyone who does find such a mention should tell me.) Even the most severely deconditioned astronauts/cosmonauts, who needed assistance to exit spacecraft after record time in microgravity, recovered capacity in a matter of weeks. Of course, nobody was telling them to push themselves past perceived limits to overcome "false illness beliefs".

 

[Sidereal]

Elevated catecholamines would also depress cell-mediated immunity which could lead to these herpes virus reactivations.

 

[Gamboa]

I think this shows that we were all abducted by aliens.