PRODUCTION OF CYTOKINES BY HUMAN PBMCs IN SIMULATEDMICROGRAVITY

摘要

Alteration of immune functions have been observed inrnlymphocytes from astronautes after long-term and shortrnterm space flight. To study the influence of microgravityrnon the cytokine network, human peripheral bloodrnmononuclear cells (PBMCs) were investigated for theirrnability to secrete different cytokines (TNF-α, IL-12, andrnIFN-γ) in simulated microgravity established by RotaryrnCell Culture System (RCCS). We detected a significantlyrnenhanced level of all investigated cytokines in simulatedrnmicrogravity. They appeared consecutively: TNF-αrnshowed its maximum at 24 hours, IL-12 at 48 hours andrnIFN-γ at day 6. We suggest that simulated microgravityrnitself affects the production of different intercellularrnsignal molecules and modulates thereby immune cellrnfunction.