Open AccessRadio Electric Asymmetric Conveyer (REAC) technology to obviate loss of T cell responsiveness under simulated microgravity
Author(s) -
Salvatore Rinaldi,
Maria Antonia Meloni,
Grazia Galleri,
Margherita Maioli,
Gianfranco Pigliaru,
Giulia Cugia,
Sara Santaniello,
Alessandro Castagna,
Vania Fontani
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0200128
Subject(s) - weightlessness , immune system , immunosuppression , cell , t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cytokine , neuroscience , biology , immunology , physics , biochemistry , astronomy
Alterations of the gravitational environment are likely to modify cell behavior. Several studies have proven that T cells are sensitive to gravity alterations and that microgravity conditions may induce immunosuppression and weakened T cell immune response in humans during spaceflights. The aim of this work was to elucidate if a specific treatment of Radio Electric Asymmetric Conveyer (REAC) technology could restore, after mitogenic activation (Con A), a correct expression of cytokine IL2 gene and its receptor IL2R alpha, which are inhibited in T cells under microgravity conditions, as demonstrated in several studies. The results of this study, conducted in microgravity simulated with Random Positioning Machine (RPM), confirm the T cell activation recovery and offer the evidence that REAC technology could contribute to the understanding of T cell growth responsiveness in space, reducing the impact of weightlessness on the immune system experienced by humans in long duration space missions.