New research published online in the FASEB Journal suggests that
a specific enzyme, called 5-lipoxygenase, plays a key role in
cell death induced by microgravity environments, and that
inhibiting this enzyme will likely help prevent or lessen the
severity of immune problems in astronauts caused by spaceflight.
Additionally, since space conditions initiate health problems
that mimic the aging process on Earth, this discovery may also
lead to therapeutics that extend lives by bolstering the immune
systems of the elderly. "The outcomes of this space research
might be helpful to improve health in the elderly on Earth,"
said Mauro Maccarrone, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work
from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of
Teramo in Teramo, Italy. "In fact, space conditions [cause
problems that] resemble the physiological process of aging and
drugs able to reduce microgravity-induced immunodepression might
be effective therapeutics against loss of immune performance in
aging people. 5-lipoxy