[Human cellular immunity and space flights]

Results of studying cellular immunity of crew members of long-term space missions, data of an experiment with extended head-down tilting of human subjects (HDT), and data obtained in the course of adapting immunologic test methods for the use in microgravity are summarized. Disorders in immunologic reactivity were shown to occur under the conditions of space flight. They included decreases in both quantitative and functional indices of cellular immunity, and emergence of signs of sensibilization to different allergens. The modified tests were evaluated by efficacy of determination of the proliferative activity of lymphocytes in minimal volumes of capillary blood inside one-piece syringes with a medium containing PHA and the Cytodex-1 suspension, evaluation of natural cytotoxicity on the level of an effector cell (number of peripheral blood lymphocytes capable of producing conjugates with fixed target cells). Sensibilization to allergens of normal human microflora was tested in analogs of routine hematocrit capillaries used for examination of healthy donors under ordinary rest-work regimen. No significant differences between the standard and modified tests were revealed. The proposed test modifications are quite simple in use and require minimum of equipment.