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| Fungal Pathogenesis, Tumorigenesis,
and Effects of Host Immunity in Space (FIT) |
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Experiment/Payload
Overview |
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Brief Summary
This study will investigate the susceptibility to fungal infection,
progression of radiation-induced tumors and changes in immune function
in sensitized Drosophila (fruit fly) lines.
Principal Investigator
• Sharmila Bhattacharya, Ph.D., Ames Research Center, Moffett
Field, CA
Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)
Deborah Kimbrell, Ph.D., University of California - Davis, Davis,
CA
Payload Developer
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Sponsoring Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Expeditions Assigned
13
Previous ISS Missions
This will be the first flight for the FIT experiment.
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Experiment/Payload Description |
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Research Summary
• This experiment will study the growth of cancerous and
benign tumors in sensitized genetic lines (breeds) of Drosophila
(fruit flies) that show an increase in the incidence of tumor formation.
The effect of radiation exposure will be coupled to this study.
• In addition, samples of a fungal pathogen that infects
flies will be exposed to radiation and the space environment. Space-flown
samples will be used postflight to infect Drosophila on the ground
and assess changes in the pathogen.
• These studies will provide more information on the interaction
between elements of the space environment (space radiation and
microgravity) on immune function and tumor growth.
Description
The primary objective of FIT is to address a series of human health
risks associated with space flight. This experiment will investigate
two important biomedical-related areas: immune system development
and tumorigenesis and fungal pathogenesis. Before shuttle launch
one set of five fly cassettes (insect habitats) will be loaded with
adult male and female Drosophila melanogaster (either irradiated
or non-irradiated) and filled food trays. A second set of five fly
Cassettes will be loaded with an unfilled food tray. Each of these
cassettes will be loaded into a vented Type I Container. The B.
bassiana fungus will be loaded into polypropylene tubes which are
then inserted into one vented Type I Container. To study the progression
of oncogenic (cancerous) and benign melanotic tumors in sensitized
mutant lines that show an increase in the incidence of tumor formation.
The effect of radiation exposure will be coupled to this study.
To analyze changes in blood cell, hematopoietic organ (lymph gland)
and fat body (liver) morphology from post-flight samples. To expose
fungal pathogen to radiation and the space environment and use space
flown samples for post-flight infection of Drosophila hosts. This
research will address important issues such as tumor progression
and the compounding effect of radiation, and the progression of
an immune response in the host in response to a pathogen in space.
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Applications |
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Space Applications
It is a known fact that space travel affects genetic activity of
astronauts, but researchers can't yet predict which genes will be
affected or precisely how gravity signals a gene to change. FIT
is the first step in answering these questions.
Earth Applications
A better understanding of tumor progression and the effects of
carcinogens is greatly relevant on Earth in efforts to cure cancer.
Similarly, effects of pathogens on wild type and immunocompromised
hosts are of great relevance to human immune diseases.
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Operations |
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Operational Requirements
Inflight, the crew will conduct one session of the food tray change
out operation. At the time of the food tray change out, the food
tray exposed to the adult flies will carry eggs, embryo, and larvae.
The procedure consists of transferring a new food tray into the
fly cassette that carries the adult flies and then transferring
the food tray with the larvae into a new unused fly cassette. The
Platform Kit will be used to provide containment during this operation.
Postflight, the specimens will be returned for processing by the
PI team.
Operational Protocols
Drosophila eggs will arrive on ISS in the larval form and hatch
while on orbit. The flies will be housed in a special insect habitat
that will be equipped with video cameras to allow researchers to
monitor their behavior (e.g. courtship rituals, their running speed,
how they fly), which are all clues to genetic activity. The flies
will grow and breed, producing the foundation of approximately nine
generations of flies.
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Related Web Sites |
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• Science@NASA
• CNN.com - Humans, 'golden bug' share many traits
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Images |
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Dr. Sharmila Bhattacharya, checks
the health of the fly culture in readiness for the shuttle flight
experiment. Image courtesy of Ames Research Center.
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Matthew Lera, a research scientist
at Ames Research Center, preparing media for maintaining fly stocks
that will be used for the shuttle experiment. Image courtesy of
Ames Research Center.
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Drs. Oana Marcu and Laura Higgins,
research scientists at Ames Research Center, conduct immunity assays
in preparation for the launch of the Space Shuttle experiment. Image
courtesy of Ames Research Center.
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Replenishing the flies with new food
to generate the next generation of flies in space. Image courtesy
of Ames Research Center.
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Fly hemocytes (blood cells) engulfing
bacteria as a way of resisting infection. Image courtesy of Ames
Research Center.
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Drosophila melanogaster(fruit flies).
Image courtesy of Ames Research Center.
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