Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space.
Our previous results with flight (FLT) mice showed abnormalities in thymuses and spleens that have potential to compromise immune defense mechanisms. In this study, the organs were further evaluated in C57BL/6 mice after Space Shuttle Atlantis returned from a 13-day mission. Thymuses and spleens wer...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3777930?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818538640981098496 |
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| author | Daila S Gridley Xiao Wen Mao Louis S Stodieck Virginia L Ferguson Ted A Bateman Maria Moldovan Christopher E Cunningham Tamako A Jones Jerry M Slater Michael J Pecaut |
| author_facet | Daila S Gridley Xiao Wen Mao Louis S Stodieck Virginia L Ferguson Ted A Bateman Maria Moldovan Christopher E Cunningham Tamako A Jones Jerry M Slater Michael J Pecaut |
| author_sort | Daila S Gridley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Our previous results with flight (FLT) mice showed abnormalities in thymuses and spleens that have potential to compromise immune defense mechanisms. In this study, the organs were further evaluated in C57BL/6 mice after Space Shuttle Atlantis returned from a 13-day mission. Thymuses and spleens were harvested from FLT mice and ground controls housed in similar animal enclosure modules (AEM). Organ and body mass, DNA fragmentation and expression of genes related to T cells and cancer were determined. Although significance was not obtained for thymus mass, DNA fragmentation was greater in the FLT group (P<0.01). Spleen mass alone and relative to body mass was significantly decreased in FLT mice (P<0.05). In FLT thymuses, 6/84 T cell-related genes were affected versus the AEM control group (P<0.05; up: IL10, Il18bp, Il18r1, Spp1; down: Ccl7, IL6); 15/84 cancer-related genes had altered expression (P<0.05; up: Casp8, FGFR2, Figf, Hgf, IGF1, Itga4, Ncam1, Pdgfa, Pik3r1, Serpinb2, Sykb; down: Cdc25a, E2F1, Mmp9, Myc). In the spleen, 8/84 cancer-related genes were affected in FLT mice compared to AEM controls (P<0.05; up: Cdkn2a; down: Birc5, Casp8, Ctnnb1, Map2k1, Mdm2, NFkB1, Pdgfa). Pathway analysis (apoptosis signaling and checkpoint regulation) was used to map relationships among the cancer-related genes. The results showed that a relatively short mission in space had a significant impact on both organs. The findings also indicate that immune system aberrations due to stressors associated with space travel should be included when estimating risk for pathologies such as cancer and infection and in designing appropriate countermeasures. Although this was the historic last flight of NASA's Space Shuttle Program, exploration of space will undoubtedly continue. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:31:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a78320bcb5b940388722d278523f5dc5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:31:34Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-a78320bcb5b940388722d278523f5dc52022-12-22T00:50:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0189e7509710.1371/journal.pone.0075097Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space.Daila S GridleyXiao Wen MaoLouis S StodieckVirginia L FergusonTed A BatemanMaria MoldovanChristopher E CunninghamTamako A JonesJerry M SlaterMichael J PecautOur previous results with flight (FLT) mice showed abnormalities in thymuses and spleens that have potential to compromise immune defense mechanisms. In this study, the organs were further evaluated in C57BL/6 mice after Space Shuttle Atlantis returned from a 13-day mission. Thymuses and spleens were harvested from FLT mice and ground controls housed in similar animal enclosure modules (AEM). Organ and body mass, DNA fragmentation and expression of genes related to T cells and cancer were determined. Although significance was not obtained for thymus mass, DNA fragmentation was greater in the FLT group (P<0.01). Spleen mass alone and relative to body mass was significantly decreased in FLT mice (P<0.05). In FLT thymuses, 6/84 T cell-related genes were affected versus the AEM control group (P<0.05; up: IL10, Il18bp, Il18r1, Spp1; down: Ccl7, IL6); 15/84 cancer-related genes had altered expression (P<0.05; up: Casp8, FGFR2, Figf, Hgf, IGF1, Itga4, Ncam1, Pdgfa, Pik3r1, Serpinb2, Sykb; down: Cdc25a, E2F1, Mmp9, Myc). In the spleen, 8/84 cancer-related genes were affected in FLT mice compared to AEM controls (P<0.05; up: Cdkn2a; down: Birc5, Casp8, Ctnnb1, Map2k1, Mdm2, NFkB1, Pdgfa). Pathway analysis (apoptosis signaling and checkpoint regulation) was used to map relationships among the cancer-related genes. The results showed that a relatively short mission in space had a significant impact on both organs. The findings also indicate that immune system aberrations due to stressors associated with space travel should be included when estimating risk for pathologies such as cancer and infection and in designing appropriate countermeasures. Although this was the historic last flight of NASA's Space Shuttle Program, exploration of space will undoubtedly continue.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3777930?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Daila S Gridley Xiao Wen Mao Louis S Stodieck Virginia L Ferguson Ted A Bateman Maria Moldovan Christopher E Cunningham Tamako A Jones Jerry M Slater Michael J Pecaut Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space. PLoS ONE |
| title | Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space. |
| title_full | Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space. |
| title_fullStr | Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space. |
| title_short | Changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the STS-135 mission in space. |
| title_sort | changes in mouse thymus and spleen after return from the sts 135 mission in space |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3777930?pdf=render |
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