How does spaceflight affect the acquired immune system?

Taishin Akiyama; Kenta Horie; Eiichi Hinoi; Manami Hiraiwa; Akihisa Kato; Yoichi Maekawa; Akihisa Takahashi; Satoshi Furukawa

doi:10.1038/s41526-020-0104-1

How does spaceflight affect the acquired immune system?

NPJ Microgravity. 2020 May 7:6:14. doi: 10.1038/s41526-020-0104-1. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Taishin Akiyama¹, Kenta Horie¹, Eiichi Hinoi^{2

3}, Manami Hiraiwa^{2

4}, Akihisa Kato^{5

6

7}, Yoichi Maekawa^{8

9}, Akihisa Takahashi¹⁰, Satoshi Furukawa¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, 230-0045 Japan.
² 2Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.
³ 3United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
⁴ 4Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University Graduate School, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Japan.
⁵ 5Division of Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 Japan.
⁶ 6The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 Japan.
⁷ 7Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 Japan.
⁸ 8Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194 Japan.
⁹ 9Domain of Integrated Life Systems, Center for Highly Advanced Integration of Nano and Life Sciences (G-CHAIN), Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194 Japan.
¹⁰ 10Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511 Japan.
¹¹ 11Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505 Japan.

Abstract

The impact of spaceflight on the immune system has been investigated extensively during spaceflight missions and in model experiments conducted on Earth. Data suggest that the spaceflight environment may affect the development of acquired immunity, and immune responses. Herein we summarize and discuss the influence of the spaceflight environment on acquired immunity. Bone marrow and the thymus, two major primary lymphoid organs, are evidently affected by gravitational change during spaceflight. Changes in the microenvironments of these organs impair lymphopoiesis, and thereby may indirectly impinge on acquired immunity. Acquired immune responses may also be disturbed by gravitational fluctuation, stressors, and space radiation both directly and in a stress hormone-dependent manner. These changes may affect acquired immune responses to pathogens, allergens, and tumors.

Keywords: Adaptive immunity; Health care.

Publication types

Review