Sleep and diet have been identified as key factors influencing variations in the human immune system, according to a study released on Mar. 9. The research analyzed data from 1,001 participants in The Human Phenome Atlas cohort to examine how different exposures affect the immunome, which includes immune cells and their functions.
The findings are significant because understanding what drives changes in the immune system can help guide future health assessments and management strategies. While previous studies have focused mainly on genetic influences, this research looked at environmental exposures and personal lifestyle choices.
Researchers found that exposures account for about 10.74% of immunome variation. They identified 55 immunophenotypes affected by either single or composite exposures, with sleep and diet standing out as dominant influences. Sleep patterns were shown to impact innate immune cell proportions and gene expression related to immunity, while dietary habits influenced levels of certain surface proteins on immune cells such as CD16.
The study also reported that short-term late sleep onset increases IL-1β secretion, but long-term late sleep onset leads to chronic inflammation along with more metabolic changes. Mediation analysis revealed that the effects of sleep on immunity are mostly linked through gene expression (transcriptome), whereas dietary effects are primarily associated with metabolic processes (metabolome). Researchers developed transcriptomic and metabolomic indexes based on these findings, which may reflect overall immune health or risk for chronic diseases.
According to the authors, mapping these exposure-immunophenotype associations highlights important molecular pathways involved in how lifestyle factors interact with the immune system. The results could inform future approaches to monitoring and improving human health.
