Effects of corticosterone and microgravity on inflammatory cell production of superoxide.

In this investigation we studied the effects of corticosterone and microgravity on Propionibacterium acnes-induced inflammatory cells ability to produce superoxide (O2-). We found in vitro and in vivo exposure of murine peritoneal inflammatory cells to corticosterone did not inhibit the O2- response. We also found that in microgravity P. acnes-induced inflammatory cells were capable of producing four times as much O2- as at 1g. Therefore, neither corticosterone nor microgravity experienced during parabolic flight prevents an O2- response by inflammatory cells.