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Changes in monocyte functions of astronauts.

Indreshpal Kaur1, Elizabeth R Simons, Victoria A Castro

  • 1Enterprise Advisory Services Inc., Houston, TX 77058, USA. ikaur@mdanderson.org

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|May 24, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Astronauts

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Microbiology of human spaceflight: microbial responses to mechanical forces that impact health and habitat sustainability.

Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR·2024

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Space Medicine
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • The innate immune system requires evaluation for long-duration space missions.
  • Monocytes play a crucial role in the innate immune response.
  • Understanding immune function changes during spaceflight is vital for astronaut health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the antimicrobial functions of monocytes in astronauts before and after spaceflight.
  • To assess changes in monocyte phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and degranulation.
  • To examine the expression of surface markers CD32 and CD64 on monocytes post-flight.

Main Methods:

  • Collected blood samples from 25 astronauts across four space shuttle missions and 9 non-astronaut controls.
  • Analyzed monocyte counts, phagocytosis of Escherichia coli, oxidative burst, and degranulation.
  • Measured expression of monocyte surface markers CD32 and CD64.
  • Assessed levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.

Main Results:

  • Monocyte counts did not significantly change in astronauts or controls.
  • Astronaut monocytes showed reduced ability to engulf Escherichia coli and reduced oxidative burst and degranulation post-flight.
  • The phagocytic index was significantly lower in astronauts compared to controls after spaceflight.
  • Changes in CD32 and CD64 surface marker expression were observed.
  • Hormonal levels (cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine) did not increase post-flight.

Conclusions:

  • Spaceflight impairs critical antimicrobial functions of monocytes, including phagocytosis.
  • Reduced phagocytic capacity is linked to altered expression of CD32 and CD64 surface markers.
  • These findings highlight potential immune vulnerabilities for astronauts during extended space missions.
Keywords:
NASA Center JSCNASA Discipline Environmental Health

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