Role of the actin cytoskeleton in T cell activation in microgravity

In space, astronauts experience microgravity that affects their immune system.

At the molecular level, microgravity negatively affects T cells, which depend on the actin cytoskeleton for activation, migration, and mechanosensing.

In fact, several genetic immune disorders, or primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs), arise from actin cytoskeletal defects. However, the role of the cytoskeleton in T cell activation in microgravity is unclear.

To tackle this, we will compare the activation of primary human T cells, either healthy or gene-edited to lack various cytoskeletal regulators and mimic cells from PID patients.

Using ESA´s Biology in Microgravity initiative (BIM), and in collaboration with the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and Sioux Technologies BV, our cells were loaded into a MASER sounding rocket and activated at 260km of altitude (