Radio Electric Asymmetric Conveyer (REAC) technology to obviate loss of T cell responsiveness under simulated microgravity

PLoS One. 2018 Jul 6;13(7):e0200128. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200128. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Electricity
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Immunomodulation
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Radio Waves
  • Space Flight
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Weightlessness
  • Weightlessness Simulation / adverse effects*
  • Weightlessness Simulation / instrumentation

Substances

  • IL2 protein, human
  • IL2RA protein, human
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit

Grants and funding

Virostatic s.r.l. provided support in the form of salaries for G.C., but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific role of this author is articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.