Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Commons^™

Beyond Low-Earth Orbit: Characterizing Immune And Microrna Differentials Following Simulated Deep Spaceflight Conditions In Mice, Amber M. Paul, Margareth Cheng-Campbell, Elizabeth A. Blaber, Sulekha Anand, Sharmila Bhattacharya

Publications

Spaceflight missions can cause immune system dysfunction in astronauts with little understanding of immune outcomes in deep space. This study assessed immune responses in mice following ground-based, simulated deep spaceflight conditions, compared with data from astronauts on International Space Station missions. For ground studies, we simulated microgravity using the hindlimb unloaded mouse model alone or in combination with acute simulated galactic cosmic rays or solar particle events irradiation. Immune profiling results revealed unique immune diversity following each experimental condition, suggesting each stressor results in distinct circulating immune responses, with clear consequences for deep spaceflight. Circulating plasma microRNA sequence analysis revealed …