Page 164 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

which launched on the SpaceX-3 commercial resupply
mission, investigates another class of control points
in T-cells that trigger immune response. Finding the
genes that tell the cells to turn on and off is key to
advancing medical options to improve immune system
functions. Data analysis is underway, with the potential
to pinpoint new candidate pharmaceutical targets to
treat immunosuppression.

Targeted Treatments Improve
Immune Response
Cell biology experiments have been uncovering
different aspects of altered immune system response ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter undertakes in-orbit
in weightlessness. Determining the changes that occur activities for one of ESA’s immunology experiments
to the immune system in space provides the means to in 2006.
develop targeted countermeasures to adverse effects Image credit: ESA
in space, as well as produces additional information for
targeted treatments on Earth. This could be either for
developing pharmaceuticals that can improve treatment One ESA experiment in this domain—the ROle
and recovery from certain medical conditions, or for of Apoptosis in Lymphocyte Depression (ROALD)
alternatively targeted treatments that can suppress experiment series—was undertaken in 2008, with a
immune response—e.g., to help deal with autoimmune follow-up experiment in 2011. In the first part of the
diseases or organ transplants. experiment, researchers discovered that an enzyme
Research undertaken in the Kubik incubators has called 5-LOX, which in part regulates the life expectancy
uncovered many altered mechanisms that occur in of human cells, became more active in weightlessness
the immune system in space using biological samples and could play a real role in causing weakened
processed at body temperature at 0 g and 1 g immune systems. The 5-LOX enzyme can be blocked
(centrifuge) in orbit, including the discovery of reduced with existing drugs; therefore, using these findings
B4H 3rd Edition
function in monocyte white blood cells that is due to to improve human health could be a close reality.
a disrupted cytoskeleton. This is an apparent inhibition Additional efforts to understand this treatment pathway,
of the Protein Kinase C family of enzymes and a specific targeting patient treatment on Earth, is ongoing.
immune cell transmitter, called the Rel/NF-кB pathway,
which stops working in weightlessness. All of these
are important mechanisms in immune response.

Genetic Markers Tell
a Valuable Story about
Determining the changes Astronaut Health
that occur to the immune The ROle of Apoptosis in
Scientific
system in space provides the Lymphocyte Depression—or ROALD—experiment Economic
Valuation
means to develop targeted examined the immune dysfunction experienced by Valuation
crew members during space missions, and revealed
countermeasures to adverse new genetic markers to monitor the health status of ECONOMIC
SCIENTIFIC
effects in space, as well as future long-duration space explorers to ensure their VALUATION
VALUATION
produces additional information ability to successfully complete objectives on
missions beyond low-Earth orbit.
for targeted treatments on Earth.

150

Human Earth Observation Innovative Global Economic
Health and Disaster Technology Education Development
Response of Space