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Science Codex In space, astronauts' immune systems get totally confused Washington Post "If this situation persisted for longer deep space missions, it could possibly increase risk of infection, hypersensitivity, or autoimmune issues for... 
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Scoop.it!
Nature Reviews Immunology 14, 141 (2014).
Alfredo Corell's insight:
The abundance of innate and adaptive immune cells that reside together with trillions of beneficial commensal microorganisms in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract requires barrier and regulatory mechanisms that conserve host–microbial interactions and tissue homeostasis. This homeostasis depends on the diverse functions of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which include the physical segregation of commensal bacteria and the integration of microbial signals. Hence, IECs are crucial mediators of intestinal homeostasis that enable the establishment of an immunological environment permissive to colonization by commensal bacteria. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive overview of how IECs maintain host–commensal microbial relationships and immune cell homeostasis in the intestine. Free download with registration: http://www.nature.com/nri/journal/v14/n3/pdf/nri3608.pdf
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But it isn't certain that these changes would significantly increase the risks of long-term spaceflight. An upcoming year-long mission will provide further data for study. If the evidence suggests that immune system confusion could pose a threat to astronauts, the next step will be figuring out how to counteract it. Whatever they develop could make its way back to earth, providing new tools to help immune-compromised patients here at home.
Original Manuscript at the Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research
DOI: 10.1089/jir.2013.0129
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/jir.2013.0129