The purpose of this project was to determine the effects of chronic exposure to unpredictable mild socio-environmental stressors during gestation on the TCR-beta repertoire of newborn mice.

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling shows that reducing gravity levels in the International Space Station (ISS) causes important alterations in Drosophila gene expression. However simulation experiments on ground without space constraints show weaker effects than space environment. A global and integrative analysis using the gene expression dynamics inspector (GEDI) self-organizing maps reveals a subtle response of the transcriptome using different populations and microgravity and hypergravity simulation devices. These results suggest that in addition to behavioural responses that can be detected also at the gene expression level the transcriptome is finely tuned to normal gravity. The alteration of this constant parameter on Earth can have effects on gene expression that depends both on the environmental conditions and the ground based facility used to compensate the gravity vector. Alternative and commons effects of mechanical facilities like the Random Positioning Machine and a centrifuge and strong magnetic field ones like a cryogenically cooled superconductive magnet are discussed. We compare the effects over the gene expression profile of different gender/age Drosophila imagoes in 3-4 days-long experiments under altered gravity conditions into three GBF (Ground Based Facilities for micro/hyper- gravity simulation) using whole genome microarray platforms. Descriptions of different GBFs (treatments): LDC means Large Diameter Centrifuge. Samples can be placed under three conditions: inside LDC (at certain g level) at the LDC rotational control and at external 1g control (outside the LDC). RPM means Random Positioning Machine. Samples can be placed under two conditions: inside RPM (at nearly 0g Microgravity level) and at external 1g control (outside the RPM). At the magnet means INSIDE the Magnetic levitator (another GBF). Samples can be placed under four conditions: inside Magnet 0g* (at microgravity with magnetic field) inside Magnet at 1g* (internal control with magnetic field) or inside the magnet 2g* (at hypergravity with magnetic field) and at external 1g control (outside the magnet)

Analysis of human peripheral blood 48 hours after irradiation ex vivo with graded doses of gamma rays. Results have been used in building and testing classifiers to predict exposure dose for use in radiological triage and also provide insight into immune cell responses. Results were compared with those from earlier times and from patients exposed in vivo. Peripheral blood from 5 healthy donors was exposed ex vivo to 0. 0.5 2 5 or 8 Gy gamma-rays and gene expression was analyzed up to 48 hours after exposure.

In recent times long-term stay has become a common occurrence in the International Space Station (ISS). However adaptation to the space environment can sometimes pose physiological problems to the astronauts after their return. Therefore it is important to develop healthcare technologies for astronauts. In this study hair an easy-to-obtain sample was identified as the candidate. In order to investigate the genetic changes in human hair during space flight the hair follicles of 10 astronauts were analyzed by DNA microarray and real time q-PCR analyses. Space environment induced gene expression of hair follicles of astronaut was measured 6 differnent times included 2 in flight on orbit. Ten independent experiments were performed on differing astronauts. and the sampling day was differed for each astronaut because of their schedules.

Drosophila samples were exposed to the levitation magnet inside a 25mm diameter tubes with 3 ml of yeast-based Drosophila food in the bottom and a chamber of only 5 mm of height over the food. This small region is needed in order to guarantee that all the flies were located in the effective g area so a maximum of 35 to 40 imagos or pupa can be exposed to each condition per experiment. All experiments were carried out with a parallel 1g external control in a temperature regulated incubator outside the magnet. Three experiments of different duration were performed inside the magnet system to analyze the effect of strong magnetic fields and magnetic levitation during different stages of the Drosophila development

Irradiation of the K-rasLA1 mouse model with a fractionated dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles increases the incidence of invasive carcinoma compared to unirradiated controls or those irradiated with an acute dose. Microarray profiling was perfromed on whole lungs from K-rasLA1 mice in order to determine global expression changes in the lung following radiation exposure. RNA was extracted from K-rasLA1 lungs from unirradiated control animals or those irradiated with a fractionated or acute dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles 70 days post-irradiation when lungs are still histologically indistiguishable and only contain benign lesions. 129S2 K-rasLA1 mice were either irradiated with an acute (1.0Gy x1; n = 15) or fractionated (0.2Gy x5; n=13) dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles or left unirradiated (n=13). Animals were euthanized 70 days post-irradiation and RNA was extracted from the whole left lung of each animal.

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling shows that reducing gravity levels in the International Space Station (ISS) causes important alterations in Drosophila gene expression. However simulation experiments on ground without space constraints show weaker effects than space environment. A global and integrative analysis using the gene expression dynamics inspector (GEDI) self-organizing maps reveals a subtle response of the transcriptome using different populations and microgravity and hypergravity simulation devices. These results suggest that in addition to behavioural responses that can be detected also at the gene expression level the transcriptome is finely tuned to normal gravity. The alteration of this constant parameter on Earth can have effects on gene expression that depends both on the environmental conditions and the ground based facility used to compensate the gravity vector. Alternative and commons effects of mechanical facilities like the Random Positioning Machine and a centrifuge and strong magnetic field ones like a cryogenically cooled superconductive magnet are discussed. We compare the effects over the gene expression profile of different gender/age Drosophila imagoes in 3-4 days-long experiments under altered gravity conditions into three GBF (Ground Based Facilities for micro/hyper- gravity simulation) using whole genome microarray platforms. Descriptions of different GBFs (treatments): LDC means Large Diameter Centrifuge. Samples can be placed under three conditions: inside LDC (at certain g level) at the LDC rotational control and at external 1g control (outside the LDC). RPM means Random Positioning Machine. Samples can be placed under two conditions: inside RPM (at nearly 0g Microgravity level) and at external 1g control (outside the RPM). At the magnet means INSIDE the Magnetic levitator (another GBF). Samples can be placed under four conditions: inside Magnet 0g* (at microgravity with magnetic field) inside Magnet at 1g* (internal control with magnetic field) or inside the magnet 2g* (at hypergravity with magnetic field) and at external 1g control (outside the magnet)

Astronauts are exposed to a unique combination of stressors during spaceflight which leads to alterations in their physiology and potentially increases their susceptibility to infectious pathogens. Here we report the first microarray evaluation of any astronaut tissue sample specifically whole blood before and after spaceflight using an array comprising 234 well-characterized stress response genes. Differentially regulated genes included those important for DNA repair oxidative stress and protein folding/degradation. Microarrays comprising 234 well characterized stress-related genes were used to profile transcriptomic changes in six astronauts before and after short-duration spaceflight. Blood samples were collected for analysis from each eastronaut 10 days prior and 2-3 hours after return from spaceflight. Data submitted for platform GPL140 contain genes that have been pre-filtered by the analytical software to remove values of low certainty resulting in missing values for some samples. Unfortunately these original data are no longer available due to physical damage at Tulane University during hurricane Katrina but the processed values were retained in redundant locations and these are submitted for upload to GEO.

Drosophila samples were exposed to the levitation magnet inside a 25mm diameter tubes with 3 ml of yeast-based Drosophila food in the bottom and a chamber of only 5 mm of height over the food. This small region is needed in order to guarantee that all the flies were located in the effective g area so a maximum of 35 to 40 imagos or pupa can be exposed to each condition per experiment. All experiments were carried out with a parallel 1g external control in a temperature regulated incubator outside the magnet. Three experiments of different duration were performed inside the magnet system to analyze the effect of strong magnetic fields and magnetic levitation during different stages of the Drosophila development

Irradiation of the K-rasLA1 mouse model with a fractionated dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles increases the incidence of invasive carcinoma compared to unirradiated controls or those irradiated with an acute dose. Microarray profiling was perfromed on whole lungs from K-rasLA1 mice in order to determine global expression changes in the lung following radiation exposure. RNA was extracted from K-rasLA1 lungs from unirradiated control animals or those irradiated with a fractionated or acute dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles 70 days post-irradiation when lungs are still histologically indistiguishable and only contain benign lesions. 129S2 K-rasLA1 mice were either irradiated with an acute (1.0Gy x1; n = 15) or fractionated (0.2Gy x5; n=13) dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles or left unirradiated (n=13). Animals were euthanized 70 days post-irradiation and RNA was extracted from the whole left lung of each animal.