Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Marissa Burke, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Marissa Burke
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Amber M Paul
Abstract
Upcoming exploration missions will expose humans to extreme environmental conditions that will have biological system consequences. Addressing the impacts of a principle environmental condition, deep-space cosmic ionizing radiation, on the relationship between immune dysfunction and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can provide clues to whole-body biological consequences. Depending on the dose of damaging ionizing radiation distributed, the cell may adapt to survive or undergo apoptosis. Investigating the HPA axis can uncover physiological system correlates to immune dysfunction and offers solutions to better adapt to these types of extreme environmental exposures. For this, whole blood leukocyte differential analysis of lymphocytes (Tcytotoxic and Thelper cells), monocyte, and neutrophil populations will assess immune count disproportions. These counts will be correlated to whole transcriptome shotgun RNA sequencing of adrenals collected from 24-week-old, male and female C57Bl/6J mice at 2-weeks post-exposure to 5, 15, and 50 cGy simulated five-ion galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation, along with sham controls. These results will be able to identify dose-dependent effects of ionizing radiation on combined physiological systems. Pinpointing altered adrenal gene expression involved in hormonal biosynthesis can provide a foundation to understanding hormonal regulation following ionizing radiation, and further examine its relationship to the immune responses. Advances in this research can direct personalized medicine and pharmaceutical approaches for future exploration missions.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Investigating the Relationship between Neuroendocrine and Immune Function following Simulated Ionizing Radiation
Upcoming exploration missions will expose humans to extreme environmental conditions that will have biological system consequences. Addressing the impacts of a principle environmental condition, deep-space cosmic ionizing radiation, on the relationship between immune dysfunction and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can provide clues to whole-body biological consequences. Depending on the dose of damaging ionizing radiation distributed, the cell may adapt to survive or undergo apoptosis. Investigating the HPA axis can uncover physiological system correlates to immune dysfunction and offers solutions to better adapt to these types of extreme environmental exposures. For this, whole blood leukocyte differential analysis of lymphocytes (Tcytotoxic and Thelper cells), monocyte, and neutrophil populations will assess immune count disproportions. These counts will be correlated to whole transcriptome shotgun RNA sequencing of adrenals collected from 24-week-old, male and female C57Bl/6J mice at 2-weeks post-exposure to 5, 15, and 50 cGy simulated five-ion galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation, along with sham controls. These results will be able to identify dose-dependent effects of ionizing radiation on combined physiological systems. Pinpointing altered adrenal gene expression involved in hormonal biosynthesis can provide a foundation to understanding hormonal regulation following ionizing radiation, and further examine its relationship to the immune responses. Advances in this research can direct personalized medicine and pharmaceutical approaches for future exploration missions.