Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight

Abstract Returning to the moon and traveling to Mars represent the main targets of human space exploration missions within the upcoming decades. Comparable to microgravity, partial gravity in these destinations is assumed to dysregulate immune functions, thereby threatening astronauts´ health. To in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu Du, Bing Han, Katharina Biere, Nathalie Abdelmalek, Xinyu Shu, Chaoyang Song, Guangyao Chen, Ning Li, Marina Tuschen, Huan Wu, Shujin Sun, Alexander Choukér, Mian Long, Dominique Moser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:npj Microgravity
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00456-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823861721210552320
author Yu Du
Bing Han
Katharina Biere
Nathalie Abdelmalek
Xinyu Shu
Chaoyang Song
Guangyao Chen
Ning Li
Marina Tuschen
Huan Wu
Shujin Sun
Alexander Choukér
Mian Long
Dominique Moser
author_facet Yu Du
Bing Han
Katharina Biere
Nathalie Abdelmalek
Xinyu Shu
Chaoyang Song
Guangyao Chen
Ning Li
Marina Tuschen
Huan Wu
Shujin Sun
Alexander Choukér
Mian Long
Dominique Moser
author_sort Yu Du
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Returning to the moon and traveling to Mars represent the main targets of human space exploration missions within the upcoming decades. Comparable to microgravity, partial gravity in these destinations is assumed to dysregulate immune functions, thereby threatening astronauts´ health. To investigate the impact of partial gravity on immune cell attachment to vessel endothelia, THP-1 cells and HUVEC cell layers were monitored in a flow chamber system during parabolic flight in lunar (0.16 g) or Martian (0.38 g) gravity. Focus was set on floating speed, cell adhesion, surface molecule expression and cytoskeletal reorganization under basal and TNF-induced inflammatory environment. Floating speed of THP-1 cells was increased in partial gravity, which was accompanied by a successively lower adhesion to the endothelial HUVEC cells. Expression levels of the adhesion markers Mac-1 on THP-1 cells as well as ICAM-1 on HUVECs were found elevated in lunar and Martian gravity, which was aggravated by TNF. Analysis of cytoskeletal organization in HUVECs revealed reduced intracellular F-actin microfilament networks and a stronger cell directionality with stress fiber alignment at cell borders in partial gravity, which was intensified by TNF. In summary, altered immune cell - endothelium interactions as quantified in partial gravity conditions show similarities to cellular behavior in microgravity. However, the different magnitudes of effects in dependence of gravitational level still need to be assessed in further investigations.
format Article
id doaj-art-5b578778eafb4efd9afa252dd79acc29
institution Kabale University
issn 2373-8065
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Microgravity
spelling doaj-art-5b578778eafb4efd9afa252dd79acc292025-02-09T12:48:37ZengNature Portfolionpj Microgravity2373-80652025-02-011111810.1038/s41526-024-00456-7Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flightYu Du0Bing Han1Katharina Biere2Nathalie Abdelmalek3Xinyu Shu4Chaoyang Song5Guangyao Chen6Ning Li7Marina Tuschen8Huan Wu9Shujin Sun10Alexander Choukér11Mian Long12Dominique Moser13Key Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Translational Research ‘Stress and Immunity’, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichLaboratory of Translational Research ‘Stress and Immunity’, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichLaboratory of Translational Research ‘Stress and Immunity’, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Translational Research ‘Stress and Immunity’, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Translational Research ‘Stress and Immunity’, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichKey Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Translational Research ‘Stress and Immunity’, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichAbstract Returning to the moon and traveling to Mars represent the main targets of human space exploration missions within the upcoming decades. Comparable to microgravity, partial gravity in these destinations is assumed to dysregulate immune functions, thereby threatening astronauts´ health. To investigate the impact of partial gravity on immune cell attachment to vessel endothelia, THP-1 cells and HUVEC cell layers were monitored in a flow chamber system during parabolic flight in lunar (0.16 g) or Martian (0.38 g) gravity. Focus was set on floating speed, cell adhesion, surface molecule expression and cytoskeletal reorganization under basal and TNF-induced inflammatory environment. Floating speed of THP-1 cells was increased in partial gravity, which was accompanied by a successively lower adhesion to the endothelial HUVEC cells. Expression levels of the adhesion markers Mac-1 on THP-1 cells as well as ICAM-1 on HUVECs were found elevated in lunar and Martian gravity, which was aggravated by TNF. Analysis of cytoskeletal organization in HUVECs revealed reduced intracellular F-actin microfilament networks and a stronger cell directionality with stress fiber alignment at cell borders in partial gravity, which was intensified by TNF. In summary, altered immune cell - endothelium interactions as quantified in partial gravity conditions show similarities to cellular behavior in microgravity. However, the different magnitudes of effects in dependence of gravitational level still need to be assessed in further investigations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00456-7
spellingShingle Yu Du
Bing Han
Katharina Biere
Nathalie Abdelmalek
Xinyu Shu
Chaoyang Song
Guangyao Chen
Ning Li
Marina Tuschen
Huan Wu
Shujin Sun
Alexander Choukér
Mian Long
Dominique Moser
Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
npj Microgravity
title Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
title_full Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
title_fullStr Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
title_full_unstemmed Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
title_short Lunar and Martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
title_sort lunar and martian gravity alter immune cell interactions with endothelia in parabolic flight
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00456-7
work_keys_str_mv AT yudu lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT binghan lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT katharinabiere lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT nathalieabdelmalek lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT xinyushu lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT chaoyangsong lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT guangyaochen lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT ningli lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT marinatuschen lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT huanwu lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT shujinsun lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT alexanderchouker lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT mianlong lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight
AT dominiquemoser lunarandmartiangravityalterimmunecellinteractionswithendotheliainparabolicflight