Carol Mitchell Marissa Burke Lane K. Christenson April E. Ronca Amber Paul
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Division, Wake Forest Medical Center, ..
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Division, Wake Forest Medical Center, Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can regulate immune responses to counteract stressful stimuli in maintaining homeostasis within the body. Cosmic ionizing radiation is an innate risk within the..
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can regulate immune responses to counteract stressful stimuli in maintaining homeostasis within the body. Cosmic ionizing radiation is an innate risk within the space environment and it is known to cause direct DNA damage and indirectly impact cellular function, transduction, and communication processes. Assessment of different physiological systems and their interactions are important to consider for mitigation strategies in spaceflight. The degree of ionizing radiation and relative biological effectiveness is an open question as it pertains to immune and endocrine responses. Therefore, this study will assess the dose-dependent responses of immunity and adrenal function to cosmic ionizing radiation. For this, male and female C57 BL/6J mice were exposed to simulated, simplified five-ion galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation at 5cGy, 15cGy, and 50cGy. Blood and tissues were collected two-weeks post exposure and inflammatory biomarkers and hormone biochemical pathways were characterized by whole transcriptome RNA sequencing. Results displayed differential transcriptomic profiles for each condition and sex, indicating complex responses and networks are generated from different doses of ionizing radiation. Careful consideration of unique profiles highlights the current need for personalized medicine requirements for astronauts exposed to similar doses on exploration missions. Supported by the NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Human Factors Behavioral Performance Element Grant 18 18FLAG 2 0028 and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University startup funding.