Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice
Space flight exposes astronauts to stressors that alter the immune response, rendering them vulnerable to infections and diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine the levels of inflammasome activation in the brains of mice that were housed in the International Space Station (ISS) for 37 days. C...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/6/417 |
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| author | Upal Roy Roey Hadad Angel A. Rodriguez Alen Saju Deepa Roy Mario Gil Robert W. Keane Ryan T. Scott Xiao W. Mao Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari |
| author_facet | Upal Roy Roey Hadad Angel A. Rodriguez Alen Saju Deepa Roy Mario Gil Robert W. Keane Ryan T. Scott Xiao W. Mao Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari |
| author_sort | Upal Roy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Space flight exposes astronauts to stressors that alter the immune response, rendering them vulnerable to infections and diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine the levels of inflammasome activation in the brains of mice that were housed in the International Space Station (ISS) for 37 days. C57BL/6 mice were launched to the ISS as part of NASA’s Rodent Research 1 Mission on SpaceX-4 CRS-4 Dragon cargo spacecraft from 21 September 2014 to 25 October 2014. Dissected mouse brains from that mission were analyzed by immunoblotting of inflammasome signaling proteins and Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) for inflammatory cytokine levels. Our data indicate decreased inflammasome activation in the brains of mice that were housed in the ISS for 37 days when compared to the brains of mice that were maintained on the ground, and in mice corresponding to the baseline group that were sacrificed at the time of launching of SpaceX-4. Moreover, we did not detect any significant changes in the expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12p70 and IL-10 between the ground control and the flight groups. Together, these studies suggest that spaceflight results in a decrease in the levels of innate immune signaling molecules that govern inflammasome signaling in the brain of mice. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e5ace0595ee942658420af9ffd9c567a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj-art-e5ace0595ee942658420af9ffd9c567a2025-08-20T02:11:22ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092025-03-0114641710.3390/cells14060417Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of MiceUpal Roy0Roey Hadad1Angel A. Rodriguez2Alen Saju3Deepa Roy4Mario Gil5Robert W. Keane6Ryan T. Scott7Xiao W. Mao8Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari9Department of Health and Biomedical Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX 78539, USADepartment of Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USADepartment of Health and Biomedical Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX 78539, USADepartment of Health and Biomedical Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX 78539, USADepartment of Health and Biomedical Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX 78539, USADepartment of Psychological Science and School of Medicine Institute of Neuroscience, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX 78539, USADepartment of Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USAKBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USADepartment of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USADepartment of Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USASpace flight exposes astronauts to stressors that alter the immune response, rendering them vulnerable to infections and diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine the levels of inflammasome activation in the brains of mice that were housed in the International Space Station (ISS) for 37 days. C57BL/6 mice were launched to the ISS as part of NASA’s Rodent Research 1 Mission on SpaceX-4 CRS-4 Dragon cargo spacecraft from 21 September 2014 to 25 October 2014. Dissected mouse brains from that mission were analyzed by immunoblotting of inflammasome signaling proteins and Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) for inflammatory cytokine levels. Our data indicate decreased inflammasome activation in the brains of mice that were housed in the ISS for 37 days when compared to the brains of mice that were maintained on the ground, and in mice corresponding to the baseline group that were sacrificed at the time of launching of SpaceX-4. Moreover, we did not detect any significant changes in the expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12p70 and IL-10 between the ground control and the flight groups. Together, these studies suggest that spaceflight results in a decrease in the levels of innate immune signaling molecules that govern inflammasome signaling in the brain of mice.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/6/417inflammasomeinflammationRR-1space biologyInternational Space Stationinnate immunity |
| spellingShingle | Upal Roy Roey Hadad Angel A. Rodriguez Alen Saju Deepa Roy Mario Gil Robert W. Keane Ryan T. Scott Xiao W. Mao Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice Cells inflammasome inflammation RR-1 space biology International Space Station innate immunity |
| title | Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice |
| title_full | Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice |
| title_short | Effects of Space Flight on Inflammasome Activation in the Brain of Mice |
| title_sort | effects of space flight on inflammasome activation in the brain of mice |
| topic | inflammasome inflammation RR-1 space biology International Space Station innate immunity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/6/417 |
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