Inhibited interferon-gamma but normal interleukin-3 production from rats flown on the space shuttle.
Rats were flown on Space Shuttle SL-3 for 1 week. When spleen cells were removed from these rats and challenged with concanavalin-A, interferon-gamma production was severely inhibited, while interleukin-3 production was unaffected compared to ground-based control rats. These data indicate that there is a defect in interferon-gamma production in rats that have been exposed to spaceflight. This defect could contribute to, and be one reason for, immunosuppression observed after spaceflight.
D000818:Animals; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013026:Space Flight; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism
D007377:Interleukin-3; D007371:Interferon-gamma