Acute psychological stress induces short-term variable immune response

Analysis of gene expression in leukocytes taken from 13 participants 1 week before or after the skydive (baseline), before boarding the airplane (pre-boarding), at landing and 1 h after the parachute jump (1 h landing). Results identify a subset of genes expressed by natural killer cells that are upregulated in leukocytes in response to acute psychological stress. This study evaluated gene expression in leukocytes taken prior to and after first-time tandem skydive from 13 healthy individuals to identify genes whose expression is modulated in response to acute psychological stress.