Space flight has presented a number of unusual situations for humans to work with. While in space the human immune system starts to weaken due to a loss of certain functions of the immune system. Previous experiments have shown that human immune system does not react in space as it would on Earth. This malfunction is due to the loss of certain lymphocyte functions, namely T cell locomotion and activation. These two functions are a major part of the human immune system. The objective of this project is to test lymphocytes that were cultured in microgravity conditions and to isolate what channels or pathways in the cells are active and inactive,finding the exact channel to promote healthy immune system functions. This was done by gene array and real time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). This study is looking for the gene or genes responsible for proper lymphocyte function. The targets that will be investigated will be Placental Induced Growth Factor or PIG F, and Interleukin 1 Alpha or IL-1Ą.
From prior experiments and gene array analysis, it was deduced that some vital genes involved in immune regulation such as IL-1 alpha, and cardiovascular response such as PIG-f, exhibited unusual expression profiles in the analog microgravity environment. Knowledge of the expression levels of key molecules in high stress environments such as microgravity, high altitude and other specialized aviation exercises is essential for the development of intervention strategies and prevention of catastrophic aviation events.