Dissolved gases from pressure changes in the lungs elicit an immune response in human peripheral blood.

Our work reveals that the elevated partial pressures of dissolved gases within the vasculature drives immune cell activation. These findings have broad implications in identifying novel biomarkers for high-risk individuals (e.g., divers, pilots) through screening differential immune markers across patients. Further, this work offers a lens through which novel strategies to mitigate DCS in clinical scenarios may be employed by the delivery of prophylactic drugs that temper immune reactions.