The role of solar and geomagnetic activity in endothelial activation and inflammation in the NAS cohort

PLoS One. 2022 Jul 26;17(7):e0268700. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268700. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

This study investigated the associations between solar and geomagnetic activity and circulating biomarkers of systemic inflammation and endothelial activation in the Normative Aging Study (NAS) cohort. Mixed effects models with moving day averages from day 0 to day 28 were used to study the associations between solar activity (sunspot number (SSN), interplanetary magnetic field (IMF)), geomagnetic activity (planetary K index (Kp index), and various inflammatory and endothelial markers. Biomarkers included intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen. After adjusting for demographic and meteorological variables, we observed significant positive associations between sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 concentrations and solar and geomagnetic activity parameters: IMF, SSN, and Kp. Additionally, a negative association was observed between fibrinogen and Kp index and a positive association was observed for CRP and SSN. These results demonstrate that solar and geomagnetic activity might be upregulating endothelial activation and inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis
  • Fibrinogen / analysis
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1* / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Plant Extracts
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • nas
  • Fibrinogen
  • C-Reactive Protein