Assessment of cellular and humoral immune responses in military personnel in the Arctic under long-term exposure to environmental and occupational factors

Introduction. When carrying out professional activities or living for a long time in the extreme conditions of the Far North, the risk of developing immunopathological conditions increases.

Objective. To assess cellular and humoral immune responses in military personnel deployed to the Arctic.

Materials and methods. The study involved 60 contracted military personnel (mean age: 37.3 ± 3.1 years) stationed in the Far North, with the median deployment duration reaching 7 [5; 9] years. This cohort, comprising individuals in medical categories 1 and 2, underwent evaluation during their annual routine medical examination in the summer. IgA, IgM, and IgG levels were quantified by gel electrophoresis using SAS-1plus and SAS-2 equipment. B and T lymphocytes (including T helper and T killer cells), NKT cells, activated NK cells, and NK lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry with the CELL-DYN RUBY analyzer (MAPSS technology). Cell immunophenotyping (to identify lymphocyte subpopulations, NK cells, etc.) was performed using fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, and CD16/56. Nonspecific adaptive reactions were profiled according to Garkavi’s method based on the percentage of blood lymphocytes. Occupational health assessment of working conditions was carried out in accordance with Guidelines R 2.2.2006‑05. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 6.1.

Results. Analysis of leukocyte differentials showed that in 54 (90%) military personnel, the median band neutrophil percentage (0.5 [0.3; 0.8]) was statistically significantly below the reference range. According to Garkavi’s profiling of nonspecific adaptive responses, a “training reaction” was identified in 33 (55.0%) participants, “calm activation” in 22 (36.7%), and “increased activation” in only 5 (8.3%). Analysis of humoral immunity revealed greater variability in individual IgM levels; in 11.7% of cases, values were reduced to 0.22–0.24 g/L. Parameters of T-cell immunity showed multidirectional changes: the proportions of T, NKT, and NK cells were decreased in 21 (35.0%), 14 (23.3%), and 7 (11.7%) participants, respectively, while elevated NK‑cell percentages were observed in 30 (50.0%) military personnel. Within the T-lymphocyte pool, the proportion of cytotoxic T cells (T killer cells) was reduced in 16 (26.7%) subjects, while in 29 (48.3%) individuals these values exceeded the physiological norm. The working conditions of the military personnel involved exposure to a complex of adverse occupational and environmental factors, including significant physical dynamic and static loads, high sensory and emotional stress, and irregular shift work with night rotations.

Conclusions. Adaptation to the extreme Arctic environment varies individually and depends on the body’s adaptive capacity. The immune response in military personnel stationed in the Arctic — characterized by cellular immune imbalance, compromised humoral immunity, and developing immunoglobulin deficiency — along with deployment conditions, underscores the need for a comprehensive health status assessment in this cohort. This enables early detection of abnormalities and supports the planning and implementation of targeted preventive measures.

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