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Simulated flight, muscle genetics, and inflammatory indicators in mice
Barbara St Pierre Schneider1, Sheniz Moonie, Nadia D Fulkerson
1University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Nursing, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy, Box 453018, Las Vegas, NV 89154-3018, USA. barbara.stpierreschneider@unlv.edu
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|August 10, 2013
Summary
Simulated flight at cabin altitude did not trigger inflammation in mouse muscle. However, gene expression changes were observed, with downregulated epithelial defense genes in females and upregulated regulatory RNAs in males.
Area of Science:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Skeletal Muscle Physiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Skeletal muscle discomfort is common during air travel.
- Previous research focused on high altitude, not typical aircraft cabin altitudes (2438 m).
- The impact of simulated flight on muscle gene expression and inflammation is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate global gene expression in mouse gastrocnemius muscle after simulated flight.
- To assess inflammatory indicators in skeletal muscle following short-term hypobaric exposure.
Main Methods:
- Mice were exposed to normobaric or hypobaric (2438 m) conditions for 8-9 hours.
- Microarray and ribonucleic acid (RNA) analyses were conducted.
- Macrophage and neutrophil presence was quantified.
Main Results:
- Females showed downregulation of 14 genes, including keratin and cellular insult response genes.
- Males exhibited upregulation of four noncoding, regulatory RNAs.
- No significant differences in proinflammatory cytokine gene or messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were found between groups.
- Leukocyte and CD68 antigen levels in muscle remained comparable.
Conclusions:
- Simulated aircraft cabin altitude does not induce a proinflammatory response in healthy muscle.
- Short-term hypobaric exposure may lead to sex-specific gene expression changes.
- Potential downregulation of epithelial and cellular defense genes in females and upregulation of regulatory RNAs in males warrant further investigation.
