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Flow Cytometry Methods to Monitor Immune Dysregulation Associated with Spaceflight

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Stress Challenges and Immunity in Space

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Abstract

Numerous studies have demonstrated that immune system dysregulation occurs both during and following spaceflight. The immune system is inherently complex, and there are many distinct subsets of immune cells, each with unique functional capabilities. Granulocytes phagocytose nonself particles, NK cells kill target cells in a nonspecific fashion, T cells kill specific target cells, and B cells manufacture plasma antibodies. There are other cell types which have overlapping functions, and all of these cell populations communicate and mediate their function via cytokine/chemokine crosstalk. Flow cytometry is useful as a versatile platform from which both the number and functional potential of many immune cell populations may be evaluated. Percentages of peripheral leukocyte subsets may be directly measured by flow cytometry, as well as intracellular antigens, DNA content, and other inherent cellular characteristics. Additionally, by culturing immune cells prior to flow cytometry analysis, various functional characteristics such as activation marker expression, cytokine secretion, phagocytosis, and target cell killing may be measured. Using this versatility, many studies have used flow cytometry techniques to investigate spaceflight-associated immune dysregulation. This chapter discusses some of the flow cytometry assays shown to identify immune alterations associated with spaceflight as well as newer cytometry techniques, which may be of use in in-flight studies. The development of an in-flight flow cytometer for both clinical and research applications during long-duration space missions will also be discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Brian Crucian & Clarence Sams

  2. JES Tech, NASA-Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA

    George Makedonas

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  1. Brian Crucian
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  2. George Makedonas
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  3. Clarence Sams
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Correspondence to Brian Crucian .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Translational Research Stress and Immunity Department of Anaesthesiology, Hospital of the University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany

    Alexander Choukèr

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Crucian, B., Makedonas, G., Sams, C. (2020). Flow Cytometry Methods to Monitor Immune Dysregulation Associated with Spaceflight. In: Choukèr, A. (eds) Stress Challenges and Immunity in Space. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16996-1_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16996-1_27

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16995-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16996-1

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