ArticleAstrobiology2013
Effects of simulated microgravity on primary human NK cells.
Article in Astrobiology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 54 citations in OpenAlex.
- Tackling aging and chronic disease: How space exploration and the 'chameleon effect' of pharmaceuticals can lead the way.Experimental physiology · 2026Review
- Astroimmunology: the effects of spaceflight and its associated stressors on the immune system.Nature reviews. Immunology · 2026Review
- PD‑L1 deficient exosomes derived from lung cancer cell line enhances NK cell‑mediated anti‑tumor immunity against lung cancer.Cell communication and signaling : CCS · 2026Article
- Mechanism of LEPR-mediated cholesterol metabolism involved in NK cell function suppression under simulated microgravity.NPJ microgravity · 2025Article
- Effects of simulated microgravity on biological features and virulence of the fungal pathogenApplied and environmental microbiology · 2025Article
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Astronauts: An Immunological Perspective.Biomolecules · 2025Review
- Immune System-Tumor Crosstalk Under Microgravity: Mechanistic Insights, Challenges, and Translational Perspectives.Cancers · 2025Review
- Necrosis as a fundamental driver of loss of resilience and biological decline: what if we could intervene?Oncogene · 2025Review
- Microgravity and Cellular Biology: Insights into Cellular Responses and Implications for Human Health.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Challenges for the human immune system after leaving Earth.NPJ microgravity · 2024Review
- Omics Studies of Specialized Cells and Stem Cells under Microgravity Conditions.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Dynamic cellular responses to gravitational forces: Exploring the impact on white blood cell(s).Biomicrofluidics · 2024Article
- Simulated microgravity impairs human NK cell cytotoxic activity against space radiation-relevant leukemic cells.NPJ microgravity · 2024Article
- Review
- Article
- Next generation of astronauts or ESA astronaut 2.0 concept and spotlight on immunity.NPJ microgravity · 2023Review
- Microgravity and immune cells.Journal of the Royal Society, Interface · 2023Review
- miR-221-5p and miR-186-5p Are the Critical Bladder Cancer Derived Exosomal miRNAs in Natural Killer Cell Dysfunction.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- In Vitro Models of Bone Marrow Remodelling and Immune Dysfunction in Space: Present State and Future Directions.Biomedicines · 2022Review
- Detrimental effects of simulated microgravity on mast cell homeostasis and function.Frontiers in immunology · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The deleterious effects of microgravity on lymphocytes have been demonstrated in previous studies. However, research on the effects of microgravity on human natural killer (NK) cells remains exceedingly limited. In this study, we demonstrated that NK cell cytotoxicity was significantly decreased under simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions (p<0.05). Several processes, including apoptosis, receptor expression, and cytokine secretion, were investigated in human NK cells under SMG. We observed decreased cytotoxicity, concurrent with increased apoptosis and necrosis, in NK cells after exposure to SMG (p<0.05). Additionally, interferon (IFN)-γ and perforin expression decreased significantly, and the expression of granzyme-B was only slightly reduced. Meanwhile, SMG selectively inhibited the expression of certain surface receptors on NK cells. Specifically, the expression of NKG2A and NKG2D were significantly downregulated under SMG, but the expression of NKp30 and NKp44 was not affected. We also found that interleukin (IL)-15 alone or in combination with IL-12 could counteract the inhibition of NK cell cytotoxicity under SMG. Our findings indicate that human NK cells were sensitive to SMG, as reflected by their decreased cytotoxicity. Factors such as increased early apoptosis and late apoptosis/necrosis and the decreased expression of INF-γ, cytolytic proteins, and cell surface receptors may be responsible for the loss of cytotoxicity in human NK cells under SMG. A combination of IL-12 and IL-15 may be useful as a therapeutic strategy for overcoming the effects of microgravity on human NK cells during long space missions.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.