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Sharma S, Gilberto VS, Rask J, Chatterjee A, Nagpal P. Inflammasome-Inhibiting Nanoligomers Are Neuroprotective against Space-Induced Pathology in Healthy and Diseased Three-Dimensional Human Motor and Prefrontal Cortex Brain Organoids. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39084211 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The microgravity and space environment has been linked to deficits in neuromuscular and cognitive capabilities, hypothesized to occur due to accelerated aging and neurodegeneration in space. While the specific mechanisms are still being investigated, spaceflight-associated neuropathology is an important health risk to astronauts and space tourists and is being actively investigated for the development of appropriate countermeasures. However, such space-induced neuropathology offers an opportunity for accelerated screening of therapeutic targets and lead molecules for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we show a proof-of-concept high-throughput target screening (on Earth), target validation, and mitigation of microgravity-induced neuropathology using our Nanoligomer platform, onboard the 43-day SpaceX CRS-29 mission to the International Space Station. First, comparing 3D healthy and diseased prefrontal cortex (PFC, for cognition) and motor neuron (MN, for neuromuscular function) organoids, we assessed space-induced pathology using biomarkers relevant to Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Both healthy and diseased PFC and MN organoids showed significantly enhanced neurodegeneration in space, as measured through relevant disease biomarkers, when compared to their respective Earth controls. Second, we tested the top two lead molecules, NI112 that targeted NF-κB and NI113 that targeted IL-6. We observed that these Nanoligomers significantly mitigate the AD, FTD, and ALS relevant biomarkers like amyloid beta-42 (Aβ42), phosphorylated tau (pTau), Kallikrein (KLK-6), Tar DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and others. Moreover, the 43-day Nanoligomer treatment of these brain organoids did not appear to cause any observable toxicity or safety issues in the target organoid tissue, suggesting good tolerability for these molecules in the brain at physiologically relevant doses. Together, these results show significant potential for both the development and translation of NI112 and NI113 molecules as potential neuroprotective countermeasures for safer space travel and demonstrate the usefulness of the space environment for rapid, high-throughput screening of targets and lead molecules for clinical translation. We assert that the use of microgravity in drug development and screening may ultimately benefit millions of patients suffering from debilitating neurodegenerative diseases on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadhana Sharma
- Sachi Bio, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Colorado Technology Center, Louisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | - Vincenzo S Gilberto
- Sachi Bio, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Colorado Technology Center, Louisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | - Jon Rask
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, California 94035, United States
| | - Anushree Chatterjee
- Sachi Bio, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Colorado Technology Center, Louisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | - Prashant Nagpal
- Sachi Bio, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Colorado Technology Center, Louisville, Colorado 80027, United States
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Masarapu Y, Cekanaviciute E, Andrusivova Z, Westholm JO, Björklund Å, Fallegger R, Badia-I-Mompel P, Boyko V, Vasisht S, Saravia-Butler A, Gebre S, Lázár E, Graziano M, Frapard S, Hinshaw RG, Bergmann O, Taylor DM, Wallace DC, Sylvén C, Meletis K, Saez-Rodriguez J, Galazka JM, Costes SV, Giacomello S. Spatially resolved multiomics on the neuronal effects induced by spaceflight in mice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4778. [PMID: 38862479 PMCID: PMC11166911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48916-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Impairment of the central nervous system (CNS) poses a significant health risk for astronauts during long-duration space missions. In this study, we employed an innovative approach by integrating single-cell multiomics (transcriptomics and chromatin accessibility) with spatial transcriptomics to elucidate the impact of spaceflight on the mouse brain in female mice. Our comparative analysis between ground control and spaceflight-exposed animals revealed significant alterations in essential brain processes including neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and synaptic transmission, particularly affecting the cortex, hippocampus, striatum and neuroendocrine structures. Additionally, we observed astrocyte activation and signs of immune dysfunction. At the pathway level, some spaceflight-induced changes in the brain exhibit similarities with neurodegenerative disorders, marked by oxidative stress and protein misfolding. Our integrated spatial multiomics approach serves as a stepping stone towards understanding spaceflight-induced CNS impairments at the level of individual brain regions and cell types, and provides a basis for comparison in future spaceflight studies. For broader scientific impact, all datasets from this study are available through an interactive data portal, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Open Science Data Repository (OSDR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuvarani Masarapu
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Egle Cekanaviciute
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Zaneta Andrusivova
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jakub O Westholm
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åsa Björklund
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Robin Fallegger
- Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine, and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Bioquant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pau Badia-I-Mompel
- Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine, and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Bioquant, Heidelberg, Germany
- GSK, Cellzome, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Valery Boyko
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA
- Bionetics, Yorktown, VA, USA
| | - Shubha Vasisht
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amanda Saravia-Butler
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Samrawit Gebre
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Enikő Lázár
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marta Graziano
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - Solène Frapard
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert G Hinshaw
- NASA Postdoctoral Program - Oak Ridge Associated Universities, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Olaf Bergmann
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Deanne M Taylor
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Douglas C Wallace
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Human Genetics, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Christer Sylvén
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | | | - Julio Saez-Rodriguez
- Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine, and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Bioquant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Galazka
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Sylvain V Costes
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, 94035, USA.
| | - Stefania Giacomello
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Simulated Microgravity Influences Immunity-Related Biomarkers in Lung Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010155. [PMID: 36613598 PMCID: PMC9820811 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgravity is a novel strategy that may serve as a complementary tool to develop future cancer therapies. In lung cancer, the influence of microgravity on cellular processes and the migratory capacity of cells is well addressed. However, its effect on the mechanisms that drive lung cancer progression remains in their infancy. In this study, 13 differentially expressed genes were shown to be associated with the prognosis of lung cancer under simulated microgravity (SMG). Using gene set enrichment analysis, these genes are enriched in humoral immunity pathways. In lieu, alveolar basal-epithelial (A549) cells were exposed to SMG via a 2D clinostat system in vitro. In addition to morphology change and decrease in proliferation rate, SMG reverted the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype of A549, a key mechanism in cancer progression. This was evidenced by increased epithelial E-cadherin expression and decreased mesenchymal N-cadherin expression, hence exhibiting a less metastatic state. Interestingly, we observed increased expression of FCGBP, BPIFB, F5, CST1, and CFB and their correlation to EMT under SMG, rendering them potential tumor suppressor biomarkers. Together, these findings reveal new opportunities to establish novel therapeutic strategies for lung cancer treatment.
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Are Skeletal Muscle Changes during Prolonged Space Flights Similar to Those Experienced by Frail and Sarcopenic Older Adults? LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12122139. [PMID: 36556504 PMCID: PMC9781047 DOI: 10.3390/life12122139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Microgravity exposure causes several physiological and psychosocial alterations that challenge astronauts' health during space flight. Notably, many of these changes are mostly related to physical inactivity influencing different functional systems and organ biology, in particular the musculoskeletal system, dramatically resulting in aging-like phenotypes, such as those occurring in older persons on Earth. In this sense, sarcopenia, a syndrome characterized by the loss in muscle mass and strength due to skeletal muscle unloading, is undoubtedly one of the most critical aging-like adverse effects of microgravity and a prevalent problem in the geriatric population, still awaiting effective countermeasures. Therefore, there is an urgent demand to identify clinically relevant biological markers and to underline molecular mechanisms behind these effects that are still poorly understood. From this perspective, a lesson from Geroscience may help tailor interventions to counteract the adverse effects of microgravity. For instance, decades of studies in the field have demonstrated that in the older people, the clinical picture of sarcopenia remarkably overlaps (from a clinical and biological point of view) with that of frailty, primarily when referred to the physical function domain. Based on this premise, here we provide a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms of sarcopenia and frailty, which in aging are often considered together, and how these converge with those observed in astronauts after space flight.
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Yoshikawa M, Ishikawa C, Li H, Kudo T, Shiba D, Shirakawa M, Murtani M, Takahashi S, Aizawa S, Shiga T. Comparing effects of microgravity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the mouse ventral lumbar spinal cord. Mol Cell Neurosci 2022; 121:103745. [PMID: 35660087 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgravity (MG) exposure and motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lead to motor deficits, including muscle atrophy and loss of neuronal activity. Abnormalities in motor neurons and muscles caused by MG exposure can be recovered by subsequent ground exercise. In contrast, the degeneration that occurs in ALS is irreversible. A common phenotype between MG exposure and ALS pathology is motor system abnormality, but the causes may be different. In this study, to elucidate the motor system that is affected by each condition, we investigated the effects of MG and the human SOD1 ALS mutation on gene expression in various cell types of the mouse ventral lumbar spinal cord, which is rich in motor neurons innervating the lower limb. To identify cell types affected by MG or ALS pathogenesis, we analyzed differentially expressed genes with known cell-type markers, which were determined from previous single-cell studies of the spinal cord in MG-exposed and SOD1G93A mice, an ALS mouse model. Differentially expressed genes were observed in MG mice in various spinal cord cell types, including neurons, microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, meningeal cells/Schwann cells, and vascular cells. We also examined neuronal populations in the spinal cord. Gene expression in putative excitatory and inhibitory neurons changed more than that in cholinergic motor neurons of the spinal cord in both MG and SOD1G93A mice. Many putative neuron types, especially visceral motor neurons, and axon initial segments (AIS) were affected in MG mice. In contrast, the effect on neurons and AIS in SOD1G93A mice was slight at P30 but progressed with aging. Interestingly, changes in dopaminergic system-related genes were specifically altered in the spinal cord of MG mice. These results indicate that MG and ALS pathology in various cell types contribute to motor neuron degeneration. Furthermore, there were more alterations in neurons in MG-exposed mice than in SOD1G93A mice. A large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MG mice represent more than SOD1G93A mice with ALS pathology. Elucidation of MG pathogenesis may provide more insight into the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Yoshikawa
- Division of Anatomical Science, Department of Functional Morphology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan.
| | - Chihiro Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Haiyan Li
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Takashi Kudo
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Dai Shiba
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan
| | - Masaki Shirakawa
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan
| | - Masafumi Murtani
- Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Satoru Takahashi
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Shin Aizawa
- Division of Anatomical Science, Department of Functional Morphology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan
| | - Takashi Shiga
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan; Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
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6
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Zhou J, Ruggeri FS, Zimmermann MR, Meisl G, Longo G, Sekatskii SK, Knowles TPJ, Dietler G. Effects of sedimentation, microgravity, hydrodynamic mixing and air-water interface on α-synuclein amyloid formation. Chem Sci 2020; 11:3687-3693. [PMID: 34094057 PMCID: PMC8152616 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc00281j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of amyloid fibrils is a characterizing feature of a range of protein misfolding diseases, including Parkinson's disease. The propensity of native proteins to form such amyloid fibril, both in vitro and in vivo, is highly sensitive to the surrounding environment, which can alter the aggregation kinetics and fibrillization mechanisms. Here, we investigate systematically the influence of several representative environmental stimuli on α-synuclein aggregation, including hydrodynamic mixing, the presence of an air-water interface and sedimentation. Our results show that hydrodynamic mixing and interfacial effects are critical in promoting several microscopic steps of α-synuclein aggregation and amyloid fibril formation. The presence of an air-water interface under agitation significantly promoted primary nucleation. Secondary processes were facilitated by hydrodynamic mixing, produced by 3D rotation and shaking either in the presence or in the absence of an air-water interface. Effects of sedimentation, as investigated in a microgravity incubator, of α-synuclein lead only to minor changes on the aggregation kinetics rates in comparison to static conditions. These results forward the understanding of α-synuclein fibrillization, paving the way for the development of high-throughput assays for the screening of pharmacological approaches targeting Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Zhou
- Laboratory of Physics of Living Matter, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) CH-1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Francesco S Ruggeri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Manuela R Zimmermann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Georg Meisl
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Giovanni Longo
- Istituto di Struttura della Materia, CNR Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100 Roma 00133 Italy
| | - Sergey K Sekatskii
- Laboratory of Physics of Living Matter, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) CH-1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Giovanni Dietler
- Laboratory of Physics of Living Matter, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) CH-1015 Lausanne Switzerland
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Verma AK, Xu D, Bruner M, Garg A, Goswami N, Blaber AP, Tavakolian K. Comparison of Autonomic Control of Blood Pressure During Standing and Artificial Gravity Induced via Short-Arm Human Centrifuge. Front Physiol 2018; 9:712. [PMID: 29988521 PMCID: PMC6026653 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autonomic control of blood pressure is essential toward maintenance of cerebral perfusion during standing, failure of which could lead to fainting. Long-term exposure to microgravity deteriorates autonomic control of blood pressure. Consequently, astronauts experience orthostatic intolerance on their return to gravitational environment. Ground-based studies suggest sporadic training in artificial hypergravity can mitigate spaceflight deconditioning. In this regard, short-arm human centrifuge (SAHC), capable of creating artificial hypergravity of different g-loads, provides an auspicious training tool. Here, we compare autonomic control of blood pressure during centrifugation creating 1-g and 2-g at feet with standing in natural gravity. Continuous blood pressure was acquired simultaneously from 13 healthy participants during supine baseline, standing, supine recovery, centrifugation of 1-g, and 2-g, from which heart rate (RR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were derived. The autonomic blood pressure regulation was assessed via spectral analysis of RR and SBP, spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, and non-linear heart rate and blood pressure causality (RR↔SBP). While majority of these blood pressure regulatory indices were significantly different (p < 0.05) during standing and 2-g centrifugation compared to baseline, no change (p > 0.05) was observed in the same indices during 2-g centrifugation compared to standing. The findings of the study highlight the capability of artificial gravity (2-g at feet) created via SAHC toward evoking blood pressure regulatory controls analogous to standing, therefore, a potential utility toward mitigating deleterious effects of microgravity on cardiovascular performance and minimizing post-flight orthostatic intolerance in astronauts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay K. Verma
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States
| | - Da Xu
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Michelle Bruner
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Amanmeet Garg
- Department of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Nandu Goswami
- Physiology Division, Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andrew P. Blaber
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Kouhyar Tavakolian
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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