Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution
Spaceflight imposes a constellation of physiological challenges—cosmic radiation, microgravity, disrupted circadian rhythms, and psychosocial stress—that critically compromise astronaut health. Among the most vulnerable organs is the thymus, a cornerstone of immune system functionality, tasked with...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1534444/full |
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| author | Wataru Muramatsu Wataru Muramatsu Maria Maryanovich Maria Maryanovich Maria Maryanovich Taishin Akiyama Taishin Akiyama George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis |
| author_facet | Wataru Muramatsu Wataru Muramatsu Maria Maryanovich Maria Maryanovich Maria Maryanovich Taishin Akiyama Taishin Akiyama George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis |
| author_sort | Wataru Muramatsu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Spaceflight imposes a constellation of physiological challenges—cosmic radiation, microgravity, disrupted circadian rhythms, and psychosocial stress—that critically compromise astronaut health. Among the most vulnerable organs is the thymus, a cornerstone of immune system functionality, tasked with generating naive T cells essential for adaptive immunity. The thymus is particularly sensitive to spaceflight conditions, as its role in maintaining immune homeostasis is tightly regulated by a balance of systemic and local factors easily disrupted in space. Cosmic radiation, an omnipresent hazard beyond Earth’s magnetosphere, accelerates DNA damage and cellular senescence in thymic epithelial cells, impairing thymopoiesis and increasing the risk of immune dysregulation. Microgravity and circadian rhythm disruption exacerbate this by altering immune cell migration patterns and stromal support, critical for T-cell development. Psychosocial stressors, including prolonged isolation and mission-induced anxiety, further compound thymic atrophy by elevating systemic glucocorticoid levels. Ground-based analogs simulating cosmic radiation and microgravity have been instrumental in elucidating mechanisms of thymic involution and its downstream effects on immunity. These models reveal that long-duration missions result in diminished naive T-cell output, leaving astronauts vulnerable to infections and possibly at high risk for developing neoplasia. Advances in countermeasures, such as pharmacological interventions targeting thymic regeneration and bioengineering approaches to protect thymic architecture, are emerging as vital strategies to preserve immune resilience during prolonged space exploration. Focusing on the thymus as a central hub of immune vulnerability underscores its pivotal role in spaceflight-induced health risks. Understanding these dynamics will not only enhance the safety of human space missions but also provide critical insights into thymus biology under extreme conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c45cd5357a5d48e9ab897fc38c89cad3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-c45cd5357a5d48e9ab897fc38c89cad32025-01-24T07:13:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-01-011510.3389/fimmu.2024.15344441534444Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involutionWataru Muramatsu0Wataru Muramatsu1Maria Maryanovich2Maria Maryanovich3Maria Maryanovich4Taishin Akiyama5Taishin Akiyama6George S. Karagiannis7George S. Karagiannis8George S. Karagiannis9George S. Karagiannis10George S. Karagiannis11George S. Karagiannis12Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, JapanImmunobiology, Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, JapanDepartment of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United StatesRuth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United StatesCancer Dormancy Institute, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, United StatesLaboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, JapanImmunobiology, Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, JapanCancer Dormancy Institute, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, United StatesDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United StatesTumor Microenvironment Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, United StatesGruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United StatesIntegrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States0The Marilyn and Stanely M. Katz Institute for Immunotherapy for Cancer and Inflammatory Disorders, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, United StatesSpaceflight imposes a constellation of physiological challenges—cosmic radiation, microgravity, disrupted circadian rhythms, and psychosocial stress—that critically compromise astronaut health. Among the most vulnerable organs is the thymus, a cornerstone of immune system functionality, tasked with generating naive T cells essential for adaptive immunity. The thymus is particularly sensitive to spaceflight conditions, as its role in maintaining immune homeostasis is tightly regulated by a balance of systemic and local factors easily disrupted in space. Cosmic radiation, an omnipresent hazard beyond Earth’s magnetosphere, accelerates DNA damage and cellular senescence in thymic epithelial cells, impairing thymopoiesis and increasing the risk of immune dysregulation. Microgravity and circadian rhythm disruption exacerbate this by altering immune cell migration patterns and stromal support, critical for T-cell development. Psychosocial stressors, including prolonged isolation and mission-induced anxiety, further compound thymic atrophy by elevating systemic glucocorticoid levels. Ground-based analogs simulating cosmic radiation and microgravity have been instrumental in elucidating mechanisms of thymic involution and its downstream effects on immunity. These models reveal that long-duration missions result in diminished naive T-cell output, leaving astronauts vulnerable to infections and possibly at high risk for developing neoplasia. Advances in countermeasures, such as pharmacological interventions targeting thymic regeneration and bioengineering approaches to protect thymic architecture, are emerging as vital strategies to preserve immune resilience during prolonged space exploration. Focusing on the thymus as a central hub of immune vulnerability underscores its pivotal role in spaceflight-induced health risks. Understanding these dynamics will not only enhance the safety of human space missions but also provide critical insights into thymus biology under extreme conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1534444/fullthymusspaceflightinvolutioncosmic radiationmicrogravity (μg)circadian rhythms |
| spellingShingle | Wataru Muramatsu Wataru Muramatsu Maria Maryanovich Maria Maryanovich Maria Maryanovich Taishin Akiyama Taishin Akiyama George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis George S. Karagiannis Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution Frontiers in Immunology thymus spaceflight involution cosmic radiation microgravity (μg) circadian rhythms |
| title | Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution |
| title_full | Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution |
| title_fullStr | Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution |
| title_short | Thymus ad astra, or spaceflight-induced thymic involution |
| title_sort | thymus ad astra or spaceflight induced thymic involution |
| topic | thymus spaceflight involution cosmic radiation microgravity (μg) circadian rhythms |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1534444/full |
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