Je. Smolen et al., Antiorthostatic suspension for 14 days does not diminish the oxidative response of neutrophils in mice, AVIAT SP EN, 71(12), 2000, pp. 1239-1247
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health","Medical Research General Topics
The effects of long-term spaceflight on inflammatory responses have not bee
n well-studied in either humans or animals. It is thus important to determi
ne if the functions of immune and inflammatory cells are altered in models
of spaceflight. One such animal model is antiorthostatic suspension (AOS),
in which the experimental animal is subjected to a head-down tilt that mimi
cs both the stress and the cephalad fluid shift experienced in spaceflight.
A previous study reported that the peritoneal neutrophils from mice experi
encing AOS generated less superoxide than unsuspended controls. We expanded
on this study using several different stimuli and measuring the oxidative
response of murine neutrophils in a variety of ways. These responses includ
ed the rate, lag period, and dose/response characteristics for superoxide g
eneration, FAGS analysis with dihydrodichlorofluorescein as a substrate, an
d a chemiluminescence response with luminol as a substrate. We also examine
d phagocytosis of three different microorganisms. While some effects of ort
hostatic suspension (attributable to the stress of the apparatus) were obse
rved, no clear effects of AOS on oxidative function of the peritoneal neutr
ophils were seen.