Results of space experiment program "Interferon".

The results of the biological space experiment "Interferon" performed by two international cosmonaut teams (26 May 1980, and 16 May 1981) aboard space laboratory Solyut-6 are reported: (1) Human lymphocytes separated from blood of healthy donors and placed into "Interferon I" equipment could be kept for 7 days in suspension culture under spaceflight conditions. Interferon production could be induced in human lymphocytes by preparations of different origin: virus, synthetic polyribonucleotides, bacterial protein and plant pigment. An increased lymphocyte interferon production in space laboratory compared to ground control was observed. (2) Human interferon preparations and interferon inducers placed in space laboratory at room temperature for 7 days maintained their biological activity. (3) A decrease of induced interferon production and natural killer activity of lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood of cosmonauts was observed on the 1st day on Earth after 7-days spaceflight.

Results of space experiment program "Interferon". I. Production of interferon in vitro by human lymphocytes aboard space laboratory Solyut-6 ("Interferon I") and influence of space flight on lymphocyte functions of cosmonauts ("Interferon III").

The results of the biological space experiment "Interferon" performed by two international cosmonaut crews aboard the space laboratory Solyut-6 are reported. Human lymphocytes separated from the blood of healthy donors and placed into "Interferon I" equipment could be kept for 7 days in suspension culture under spaceflight conditions. Interferon production could be induced in human lymphocytes by preparations of different origin, such as virus, synthetic polyribonucleotides, bacterial protein and plant pigment. An increased lymphocyte interferon production was observed in the space laboratory as compared to the ground control. A decrease of induced interferon production and natural killer cell activity was observed in the cosmonauts' lymphocytes on the 1st day on Earth after 7 days spaceflight.

Results of space experiment program "Interferon". II. Influence of spaceflight conditions on the activity of interferon preparations and interferon inducers ("Interferon II").

The influence of spaceflight conditions on the biological activity of HuIFN-alpha preparations (lyophilized, in solution and in ointment) and interferon inducers was studied. In antiviral activity no difference was observed between the samples kept aboard the spaceship and the controls kept under ground conditions. The interferon inducers poly I:C, poly G:C and gossipol placed in the space laboratory for 7 days maintained their interferon-inducing capacity. The circulating interferon level in mice was the same irrespective of the induction being performed with flight or ground-control samples of inducers.