Antiorthostatic suspension for 14 days does not diminish the oxidative response of neutrophils in mice.
The effects of long-term spaceflight on inflammatory responses have not been well-studied in either humans or animals. It is thus important to determine 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 mimics both the stress and the cephalad fluid shift experienced in spaceflight. A previous study reported that the peritoneal neutrophils from mice experiencing 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 included the rate, lag period, and dose/response characteristics for superoxide generation, FACS analysis with dihydrodichlorofluorescein as a substrate, and a chemiluminescence response with luminol as a substrate. We also examined phagocytosis of three different microorganisms. While some effects of orthostatic suspension (attributable to the stress of the apparatus) were observed, no clear effects of AOS on oxidative function of the peritoneal neutrophils were seen.
Smolen
J E
JE
Department of Pediatrics, Leukocyte Biology Section, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. jsmolen@bcm.tmc.edu
Fossett
M C
MC
Joe
Y
Y
Prince
J E
JE
Priest
E
E
Kanwar
S
S
Smith
C W
CW
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018495:Fluid Shifts / Q000276:immunology*; D018475:Head-Down Tilt / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D007249:Inflammation; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000276:immunology*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000166:cytology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D018561:Space Simulation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000276:immunology*
D013481:Superoxides