1
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Kikina AY, Matrosova MS, Gorbacheva EY, Gogichaeva KK, Toniyan KA, Boyarintsev VV, Kotov OV, Ogneva IV. Weightlessness leads to an increase granulosa cells in the growing follicle. NPJ Microgravity 2024; 10:70. [PMID: 38909072 PMCID: PMC11193763 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00413-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The participation of women in space programs of increasing flight duration requires research of their reproductive system from the perspective of subsequent childbearing and healthy aging. For the first time, we present hormonal and structural data on the dynamics of recovery after a 157-day space flight in a woman of reproductive age. There were no clinically significant changes in the reproductive system, but detailed analysis shows that weightlessness leads to an increase in the proportion of early antral follicles and granulosa cells in large antral follicles. Returning to Earth's gravity reduces the number and diameter of early antral follicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Yu Kikina
- Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center, 141160, Star City, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Mariia S Matrosova
- Radiology Department, European Medical Center, 129090, Moscow, Russia
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Yu Gorbacheva
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007, Moscow, Russia
- Gynecology Department, FGBU KB1 (Volynskaya) UDP RF, 121352, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ksenia K Gogichaeva
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007, Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin A Toniyan
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007, Moscow, Russia
- Gynecology Department, FGBU KB1 (Volynskaya) UDP RF, 121352, Moscow, Russia
| | - Valery V Boyarintsev
- Emergency and Extreme Medicine Department, Central State Medical Academy UDP RF, 121359, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg V Kotov
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina V Ogneva
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007, Moscow, Russia.
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
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2
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Camera A, Tabetah M, Castañeda V, Kim J, Galsinh AS, Haro-Vinueza A, Salinas I, Seylani A, Arif S, Das S, Mori MA, Carano A, de Oliveira LC, Muratani M, Barker R, Zaksas V, Goel C, Dimokidis E, Taylor DM, Jeong J, Overbey E, Meydan C, Porterfield DM, Díaz JE, Caicedo A, Schisler JC, Laiakis EC, Mason CE, Kim MS, Karouia F, Szewczyk NJ, Beheshti A. Aging and putative frailty biomarkers are altered by spaceflight. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13098. [PMID: 38862573 PMCID: PMC11166946 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57948-5] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Human space exploration poses inherent risks to astronauts' health, leading to molecular changes that can significantly impact their well-being. These alterations encompass genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased inflammation, homeostatic dysregulation, and various epigenomic changes. Remarkably, these changes bear similarities to those observed during the aging process on Earth. However, our understanding of the connection between these molecular shifts and disease development in space remains limited. Frailty syndrome, a clinical syndrome associated with biological aging, has not been comprehensively investigated during spaceflight. To bridge this knowledge gap, we leveraged murine data obtained from NASA's GeneLab, along with astronaut data gathered from the JAXA and Inspiration4 missions. Our objective was to assess the presence of biological markers and pathways related to frailty, aging, and sarcopenia within the spaceflight context. Through our analysis, we identified notable changes in gene expression patterns that may be indicative of the development of a frailty-like condition during space missions. These findings suggest that the parallels between spaceflight and the aging process may extend to encompass frailty as well. Consequently, further investigations exploring the utility of a frailty index in monitoring astronaut health appear to be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Camera
- Intitute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marshall Tabetah
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | | | - JangKeun Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aman Singh Galsinh
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Alissen Haro-Vinueza
- Biología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Ivonne Salinas
- Escuela de Medicina, Colegio de Ciencias de La Salud COCSA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Allen Seylani
- Riverside-School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Shehbeel Arif
- Center for Data-Driven Discovery in Biomedicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Saswati Das
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Marcelo A Mori
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Anthony Carano
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | | | - Masafumi Muratani
- Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
- Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Richard Barker
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Victoria Zaksas
- Center for Translational Data Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Clever Research Lab, Springfield, IL, 62704, USA
| | - Chirag Goel
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | | | - Deanne M Taylor
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19041, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jisu Jeong
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eliah Overbey
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cem Meydan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Marshall Porterfield
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Juan Esteban Díaz
- Data Science Institute, School of Business, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Andrés Caicedo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biomedicina iBioMed, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
- Mito-Act Research Consortium, Quito, Ecuador
- Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Jonathan C Schisler
- McAllister Heart Institute and Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Evagelia C Laiakis
- Department of Oncology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Man S Kim
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Fathi Karouia
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- Space Research Within Reach, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nathaniel J Szewczyk
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Afshin Beheshti
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
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3
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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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4
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Mathyk BA, Tabetah M, Karim R, Zaksas V, Kim J, Anu RI, Muratani M, Tasoula A, Singh RS, Chen YK, Overbey E, Park J, Cope H, Fazelinia H, Povero D, Borg J, Klotz RV, Yu M, Young SL, Mason CE, Szewczyk N, St Clair RM, Karouia F, Beheshti A. Spaceflight induces changes in gene expression profiles linked to insulin and estrogen. Commun Biol 2024; 7:692. [PMID: 38862620 PMCID: PMC11166981 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05213-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Organismal adaptations to spaceflight have been characterized at the molecular level in model organisms, including Drosophila and C. elegans. Here, we extend molecular work to energy metabolism and sex hormone signaling in mice and humans. We found spaceflight induced changes in insulin and estrogen signaling in rodents and humans. Murine changes were most prominent in the liver, where we observed inhibition of insulin and estrogen receptor signaling with concomitant hepatic insulin resistance and steatosis. Based on the metabolic demand, metabolic pathways mediated by insulin and estrogen vary among muscles, specifically between the soleus and extensor digitorum longus. In humans, spaceflight induced changes in insulin and estrogen related genes and pathways. Pathway analysis demonstrated spaceflight induced changes in insulin resistance, estrogen signaling, stress response, and viral infection. These data strongly suggest the need for further research on the metabolic and reproductive endocrinologic effects of space travel, if we are to become a successful interplanetary species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begum Aydogan Mathyk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Marshall Tabetah
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Rashid Karim
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Victoria Zaksas
- Center for Translational Data Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Clever Research Lab, Springfield, IL, 62704, USA
| | - JangKeun Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics and World Quant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - R I Anu
- Department of Cancer Biology & Therapeutics, Precision Oncology and Multi-omics clinic, Genetic counseling clinic. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, MVR Cancer Centre and Research Institute, Calicut, India
| | - Masafumi Muratani
- Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
- Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Alexia Tasoula
- Department of Life Science Engineering, FH Technikum, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Yen-Kai Chen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Eliah Overbey
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics and World Quant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Jiwoon Park
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics and World Quant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Henry Cope
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Hossein Fazelinia
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics and Proteomics Core Facility, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Davide Povero
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Joseph Borg
- Department of Applied Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Msida, MSD2090, Malta
| | - Remi V Klotz
- Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Min Yu
- Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven L Young
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics and World Quant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Nathaniel Szewczyk
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Riley M St Clair
- Department of Life Sciences, Quest University, Squamish, BC, Canada
| | - Fathi Karouia
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- Space Research Within Reach, San Francisco, CA, USA; Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Afshin Beheshti
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
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5
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Burke M, Wong K, Talyansky Y, Mhatre SD, Mitchell C, Juran CM, Olson M, Iyer J, Puukila S, Tahimic CGT, Christenson LK, Lowe M, Rubinstein L, Shirazi-Fard Y, Sowa MB, Alwood JS, Ronca AE, Paul AM. Sexual dimorphism during integrative endocrine and immune responses to ionizing radiation in mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7334. [PMID: 38409284 PMCID: PMC10897391 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33629-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to cosmic ionizing radiation is an innate risk of the spaceflight environment that can cause DNA damage and altered cellular function. In astronauts, longitudinal monitoring of physiological systems and interactions between these systems are important to consider for mitigation strategies. In addition, assessments of sex-specific biological responses in the unique environment of spaceflight are vital to support future exploration missions that include both females and males. Here we assessed sex-specific, multi-system immune and endocrine responses to simulated cosmic radiation. For this, 24-week-old, male and female C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to simplified five-ion, space-relevant galactic cosmic ray (GCRsim) radiation at 15 and 50 cGy, to simulate predicted radiation exposures that would be experienced during lunar and Martian missions, respectively. Blood and adrenal tissues were collected at 3- and 14-days post-irradiation for analysis of immune and endocrine biosignatures and pathways. Sexually dimorphic adrenal gland weights and morphology, differential total RNA expression with corresponding gene ontology, and unique immune phenotypes were altered by GCRsim. In brief, this study offers new insights into sexually dimorphic immune and endocrine kinetics following simulated cosmic radiation exposure and highlights the necessity for personalized translational approaches for astronauts during exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Burke
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Kelly Wong
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Yuli Talyansky
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Siddhita D Mhatre
- KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Carol Mitchell
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
| | - Cassandra M Juran
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
| | - Makaila Olson
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
| | - Janani Iyer
- KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Universities Space Research Association, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
| | - Stephanie Puukila
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Candice G T Tahimic
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Lane K Christenson
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Moniece Lowe
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Linda Rubinstein
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Universities Space Research Association, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Research Hospital, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel
| | - Yasaman Shirazi-Fard
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Marianne B Sowa
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Joshua S Alwood
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - April E Ronca
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA.
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wake Forest Medical School, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Amber M Paul
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA.
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA.
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
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6
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Tomsia M, Cieśla J, Śmieszek J, Florek S, Macionga A, Michalczyk K, Stygar D. Long-term space missions' effects on the human organism: what we do know and what requires further research. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1284644. [PMID: 38415007 PMCID: PMC10896920 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1284644] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Space has always fascinated people. Many years have passed since the first spaceflight, and in addition to the enormous technological progress, the level of understanding of human physiology in space is also increasing. The presented paper aims to summarize the recent research findings on the influence of the space environment (microgravity, pressure differences, cosmic radiation, etc.) on the human body systems during short-term and long-term space missions. The review also presents the biggest challenges and problems that must be solved in order to extend safely the time of human stay in space. In the era of increasing engineering capabilities, plans to colonize other planets, and the growing interest in commercial space flights, the most topical issues of modern medicine seems to be understanding the effects of long-term stay in space, and finding solutions to minimize the harmful effects of the space environment on the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Tomsia
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Julia Cieśla
- School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Joanna Śmieszek
- School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Szymon Florek
- School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Agata Macionga
- School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Michalczyk
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Dominika Stygar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- SLU University Animal Hospital, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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7
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Lecoq PE, Dupuis C, Mousset X, Benoit-Gonnin X, Peyrin JM, Aider JL. Influence of microgravity on spontaneous calcium activity of primary hippocampal neurons grown in microfluidic chips. NPJ Microgravity 2024; 10:15. [PMID: 38321051 PMCID: PMC10847089 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00355-x] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The influence of variations of gravity, either hypergravity or microgravity, on the brain of astronauts is a major concern for long journeys in space, to the Moon or to Mars, or simply long-duration missions on the ISS (International Space Station). Monitoring brain activity, before and after ISS missions already demonstrated important and long term effects on the brains of astronauts. In this study, we focus on the influence of gravity variations at the cellular level on primary hippocampal neurons. A dedicated setup has been designed and built to perform live calcium imaging during parabolic flights. During a CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) parabolic flight campaign, we were able to observe and monitor the calcium activity of 2D networks of neurons inside microfluidic devices during gravity changes over different parabolas. Our preliminary results clearly indicate a modification of the calcium activity associated to variations of gravity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Ewen Lecoq
- PMMH, ESPCI Paris - PSL, Paris, 75005, France.
- Neurosciences Paris Seine IBPS, UMR8246, Inserm U1130, Sorbonne University, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, 75005, France.
| | - Chloé Dupuis
- PMMH, ESPCI Paris - PSL, Paris, 75005, France
- Neurosciences Paris Seine IBPS, UMR8246, Inserm U1130, Sorbonne University, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Xavier Mousset
- PMMH, ESPCI Paris - PSL, Paris, 75005, France
- Neurosciences Paris Seine IBPS, UMR8246, Inserm U1130, Sorbonne University, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, 75005, France
| | | | - Jean-Michel Peyrin
- Neurosciences Paris Seine IBPS, UMR8246, Inserm U1130, Sorbonne University, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, 75005, France.
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8
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Gimunová M, Paludo AC, Bernaciková M, Bienertova-Vasku J. The effect of space travel on human reproductive health: a systematic review. NPJ Microgravity 2024; 10:10. [PMID: 38238348 PMCID: PMC10796912 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00351-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
With increasing possibilities of multi-year missions in deep space, colonizing other planets, and space tourism, it is important to investigate the effects of space travel on human reproduction. This study aimed to systematically review and summarize the results of available literature on space travel, microgravity, and space radiation, or Earth-based spaceflight analogues impact on female and male reproductive functions in humans. This systematic review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and Space Biomedicine Systematic Review methods. The search was performed using three databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Medline Complete. During the database search, 364 studies were identified. After the study selection process, 16 studies were included in the review. Five studies included female participants, and the findings show an increased risk of thromboembolism in combined oral contraceptive users, decreased decidualization, functional insufficiency of corpus luteum, and decreased progesterone and LH levels related to space travel or its simulation. Male participants were included in 13 studies. In males, reproductive health considerations focused on the decrease in testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin levels, the ratio of male offspring, sperm motility, sperm vitality, and the increase in sperm DNA fragmentation related to space travel or its simulation. Results of this systematic review highlight the need to focus more on the astronaut's reproductive health in future research, as only 16 studies were found during the literature search, and many more research questions related to reproductive health in astronauts still need to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gimunová
- Department of Physical Activities and Health Sciences, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Ana Carolina Paludo
- Department of Sport Performance and Exercise Testing, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Bernaciková
- Department of Physical Activities and Health Sciences, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Julie Bienertova-Vasku
- Department of Physical Activities and Health Sciences, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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9
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Gorbacheva EY, Sventitskaya MA, Biryukov NS, Ogneva IV. The Oxidative Phosphorylation and Cytoskeleton Proteins of Mouse Ovaries after 96 Hours of Hindlimb Suspension. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2332. [PMID: 38137934 PMCID: PMC10744499 DOI: 10.3390/life13122332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in mouse ovaries, determine the relative content of proteins that form the respiratory chain complexes and the main structures of the cytoskeleton, and determine the mRNA of the corresponding genes after hindlimb suspension for 96 h. After hindlimb suspension, the maximum rate of oxygen uptake increased by 133% (p < 0.05) compared to the control due to the complex I of the respiratory chain. The content of mRNA of genes encoding the main components of the respiratory chain increased (cyt c by 78%, cox IV by 56%, ATPase by 69%, p < 0.05 compared with the control). The relative content of cytoskeletal proteins that can participate in the processes of transport and localization of mitochondria does not change, with the exception of an increase in the content of alpha-tubulin by 25% (p < 0.05) and its acetylated isoform (by 36%, p < 0.05); however, the mRNA content of these cytoskeletal genes did not differ from the control. The content of GDF9 mRNA does not change after hindlimb suspension. The data obtained show that short-term exposure to simulated weightlessness leads to intensification of metabolism in the ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Yu. Gorbacheva
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Gynecology Department, FGBU KB1 (Volynskaya) UDP RF, 10, Starovolynskaya Str., Moscow 121352, Russia
| | - Maria A. Sventitskaya
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8-2 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Nikolay S. Biryukov
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8-2 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Irina V. Ogneva
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8-2 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991, Russia
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10
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Liu T, Melkus G, Ramsay T, Sheikh A, Laneuville O, Trudel G. Bone marrow adiposity modulation after long duration spaceflight in astronauts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4799. [PMID: 37558686 PMCID: PMC10412640 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40572-8] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Space travel requires metabolic adaptations from multiple systems. While vital to bone and blood production, human bone marrow adipose (BMA) tissue modulation in space is unknown. Here we show significant downregulation of the lumbar vertebrae BMA in 14 astronauts, 41 days after landing from six months' missions on the International Space Station. Spectral analyses indicated depletion of marrow adipose reserves. We then demonstrate enhanced erythropoiesis temporally related to low BMA. Next, we demonstrated systemic and then, local lumbar vertebrae bone anabolism temporally related to low BMA. These support the hypothesis that BMA is a preferential local energy source supplying the hypermetabolic bone marrow postflight, leading to its downregulation. A late postflight upregulation abolished the lower BMA of female astronauts and BMA modulation amplitude was higher in younger astronauts. The study design in the extreme environment of space can limit these conclusions. BMA modulation in astronauts can help explain observations on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Liu
- Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada
| | - Gerd Melkus
- Department of Radiology, Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada
| | - Tim Ramsay
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada
| | - Adnan Sheikh
- Department of Radiology, Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada
| | - Odette Laneuville
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Guy Trudel
- Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M2, Canada.
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11
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Rosa-Caldwell ME, Mortreux M, Wadhwa A, Kaiser UB, Sung DM, Bouxsein ML, Rutkove SB. Influence of gonadectomy on muscle health in micro- and partial-gravity environments in rats. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023; 134:1438-1449. [PMID: 37102698 PMCID: PMC10228673 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00023.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Gonadal hormones, such as testosterone and estradiol, modulate muscle size and strength in males and females. However, the influence of sex hormones on muscle strength in micro- and partial-gravity environments (e.g., the Moon or Mars) is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of gonadectomy (castration/ovariectomy) on progression of muscle atrophy in both micro- and partial-gravity environments in male and female rats. Male and female Fischer rats (n = 120) underwent castration/ovariectomy (CAST/OVX) or sham surgery (SHAM) at 11 wk of age. After 2 wk of recovery, rats were exposed to hindlimb unloading (0 g), partial weight bearing at 40% of normal loading (0.4 g, Martian gravity), or normal loading (1.0 g) for 28 days. In males, CAST did not exacerbate body weight loss or other metrics of musculoskeletal health. In females, OVX animals tended to have greater body weight loss and greater gastrocnemius loss. Within 7 days of exposure to either microgravity or partial gravity, females had detectable changes to estrous cycle, with greater time spent in low-estradiol phases diestrus and metestrus (∼47% in 1 g vs. 58% in 0 g and 72% in 0.4 g animals, P = 0.005). We conclude that in males testosterone deficiency at the initiation of unloading has little effect on the trajectory of muscle loss. In females, initial low estradiol status may result in greater musculoskeletal losses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We find that removal of gonadal hormones does not exacerbate muscle loss in males or females during exposure to either simulated microgravity or partial-gravity environments. However, simulated micro- and partial gravity did affect females' estrous cycles, with more time spent in low-estrogen phases. Our findings provide important data on the influence of gonadal hormones on the trajectory of muscle loss during unloading and will help inform NASA for future crewed missions to space and other planets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Rosa-Caldwell
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Marie Mortreux
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Anna Wadhwa
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Ursula B Kaiser
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Dong-Min Sung
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Mary L Bouxsein
- Center for Advanced Orthopedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Seward B Rutkove
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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12
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Kessel JC, Weiskirchen R, Schröder SK. Expression Analysis of Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) in Reproductive and Non-Reproductive Tissues of Esr1-Deficient Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119280. [PMID: 37298232 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is widely expressed in reproductive organs, but also in non-reproductive tissues of females and males. There is evidence that lipocalin 2 (LCN2), which has diverse immunological and metabolic functions, is regulated by ERα in adipose tissue. However, in many other tissues, the impact of ERα on LCN2 expression has not been studied yet. Therefore, we used an Esr1-deficient mouse strain and analyzed LCN2 expression in reproductive (ovary, testes) and non-reproductive tissues (kidney, spleen, liver, lung) of both sexes. Tissues collected from adult wild-type (WT) and Esr1-deficient animals were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and RT-qPCR for Lcn2 expression. In non-reproductive tissues, only minor genotype- or sex-specific differences in LCN2 expression were detected. In contrast, significant differences in LCN2 expression were observed in reproductive tissues. Particularly, there was a strong increase in LCN2 in Esr1-deficient ovaries when compared to WTs. In summary, we found an inverse correlation between the presence of ERα and the expression of LCN2 in testes and ovaries. Our results provide an important basis to better understand LCN2 regulation in the context of hormones and in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan C Kessel
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Sarah K Schröder
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
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13
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Corydon TJ, Schulz H, Richter P, Strauch SM, Böhmer M, Ricciardi DA, Wehland M, Krüger M, Erzinger GS, Lebert M, Infanger M, Wise PM, Grimm D. Current Knowledge about the Impact of Microgravity on Gene Regulation. Cells 2023; 12:cells12071043. [PMID: 37048115 PMCID: PMC10093652 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Microgravity (µg) has a massive impact on the health of space explorers. Microgravity changes the proliferation, differentiation, and growth of cells. As crewed spaceflights into deep space are being planned along with the commercialization of space travelling, researchers have focused on gene regulation in cells and organisms exposed to real (r-) and simulated (s-) µg. In particular, cancer and metastasis research benefits from the findings obtained under µg conditions. Gene regulation is a key factor in a cell or an organism’s ability to sustain life and respond to environmental changes. It is a universal process to control the amount, location, and timing in which genes are expressed. In this review, we provide an overview of µg-induced changes in the numerous mechanisms involved in gene regulation, including regulatory proteins, microRNAs, and the chemical modification of DNA. In particular, we discuss the current knowledge about the impact of microgravity on gene regulation in different types of bacteria, protists, fungi, animals, humans, and cells with a focus on the brain, eye, endothelium, immune system, cartilage, muscle, bone, and various cancers as well as recent findings in plants. Importantly, the obtained data clearly imply that µg experiments can support translational medicine on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Corydon
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh Guldbergs Gade 10, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Blvd. 99, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +45-28-992-179
| | - Herbert Schulz
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Peter Richter
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian M. Strauch
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, University of Joinville Region, Joinville 89219-710, SC, Brazil
| | - Maik Böhmer
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dario A. Ricciardi
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Markus Wehland
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Gilmar S. Erzinger
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, University of Joinville Region, Joinville 89219-710, SC, Brazil
| | - Michael Lebert
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Manfred Infanger
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Petra M. Wise
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Daniela Grimm
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh Guldbergs Gade 10, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
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14
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Simulated microgravity reduces quality of ovarian follicles and oocytes by disrupting communications of follicle cells. NPJ Microgravity 2023; 9:7. [PMID: 36690655 PMCID: PMC9870914 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00248-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian follicles are the fundamental structures that support oocyte development, and communications between oocytes and follicle somatic cells are crucial for oogenesis. However, it is unknown that whether exposure to microgravity influences cellular communications and ovarian follicle development, which might be harmful for female fertility. By 3D culturing of ovarian follicles under simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions in a rotating cell culture system, we found that SMG treatment did not affect the survival or general growth of follicles but decreased the quality of cultured follicles released oocytes. Ultrastructure detections by high-resolution imaging showed that the development of cellular communicating structures, including granulosa cell transzonal projections and oocyte microvilli, were markedly disrupted. These abnormalities caused chaotic polarity of granulosa cells (GCs) and a decrease in oocyte-secreted factors, such as Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF9), which led to decreased quality of oocytes in these follicles. Therefore, the quality of oocytes was dramatically improved by the supplementations of GDF9 and NADPH-oxidase inhibitor apocynin. Together, our results suggest that exposure to simulated microgravity impairs the ultrastructure of ovarian follicles. Such impairment may affect female fertility in space environment.
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15
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Overbey EG, Das S, Cope H, Madrigal P, Andrusivova Z, Frapard S, Klotz R, Bezdan D, Gupta A, Scott RT, Park J, Chirko D, Galazka JM, Costes SV, Mason CE, Herranz R, Szewczyk NJ, Borg J, Giacomello S. Challenges and considerations for single-cell and spatially resolved transcriptomics sample collection during spaceflight. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100325. [PMID: 36452864 PMCID: PMC9701605 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) have experienced rapid development in recent years. The findings of spaceflight-based scRNA-seq and SRT investigations are likely to improve our understanding of life in space and our comprehension of gene expression in various cell systems and tissue dynamics. However, compared to their Earth-based counterparts, gene expression experiments conducted in spaceflight have not experienced the same pace of development. Out of the hundreds of spaceflight gene expression datasets available, only a few used scRNA-seq and SRT. In this perspective piece, we explore the growing importance of scRNA-seq and SRT in space biology and discuss the challenges and considerations relevant to robust experimental design to enable growth of these methods in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliah G. Overbey
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Saswati Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences & Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Henry Cope
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Pedro Madrigal
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, EMBL-EBI, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Zaneta Andrusivova
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Solène Frapard
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Klotz
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Daniela Bezdan
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- NGS Competence Center Tübingen (NCCT), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, German
- yuri GmbH, Meckenbeuren, Germany
| | | | - Ryan T. Scott
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | | | | | - Jonathan M. Galazka
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Sylvain V. Costes
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Christopher E. Mason
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, NY, USA
- The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, New York, NY, USA
| | - Raul Herranz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Nathaniel J. Szewczyk
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby DE22 3DT, UK
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - Joseph Borg
- Department of Applied Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Stefania Giacomello
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Extraterrestrial Gynecology: Could Spaceflight Increase the Risk of Developing Cancer in Female Astronauts? An Updated Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137465. [PMID: 35806469 PMCID: PMC9267413 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Outer space is an extremely hostile environment for human life, with ionizing radiation from galactic cosmic rays and microgravity posing the most significant hazards to the health of astronauts. Spaceflight has also been shown to have an impact on established cancer hallmarks, possibly increasing carcinogenic risk. Terrestrially, women have a higher incidence of radiation-induced cancers, largely driven by lung, thyroid, breast, and ovarian cancers, and therefore, historically, they have been permitted to spend significantly less time in space than men. In the present review, we focus on the effects of microgravity and radiation on the female reproductive system, particularly gynecological cancer. The aim is to provide a summary of the research that has been carried out related to the risk of gynecological cancer, highlighting what further studies are needed to pave the way for safer exploration class missions, as well as postflight screening and management of women astronauts following long-duration spaceflight.
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Murgia M, Ciciliot S, Nagaraj N, Reggiani C, Schiaffino S, Franchi MV, Pišot R, Šimunič B, Toniolo L, Blaauw B, Sandri M, Biolo G, Flück M, Narici MV, Mann M. Signatures of muscle disuse in spaceflight and bed rest revealed by single muscle fiber proteomics. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac086. [PMID: 36741463 PMCID: PMC9896895 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Astronauts experience dramatic loss of muscle mass, decreased strength, and insulin resistance, despite performing daily intense physical exercise that would lead to muscle growth on Earth. Partially mimicking spaceflight, prolonged bed rest causes muscle atrophy, loss of force, and glucose intolerance. To unravel the underlying mechanisms, we employed highly sensitive single fiber proteomics to detail the molecular remodeling caused by unloading and inactivity during bed rest and changes of the muscle proteome of astronauts before and after a mission on the International Space Station. Muscle focal adhesions, involved in fiber-matrix interaction and insulin receptor stabilization, are prominently downregulated in both bed rest and spaceflight and restored upon reloading. Pathways of antioxidant response increased strongly in slow but not in fast muscle fibers. Unloading alone upregulated markers of neuromuscular damage and the pathway controlling EIF5A hypusination. These proteomic signatures of mechanical unloading in muscle fiber subtypes contribute to disentangle the effect of microgravity from the pleiotropic challenges of spaceflight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefano Ciciliot
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Via Orus 2, 35129 Padua, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Reggiani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy,Science and Research Center Koper, Institute for Kinesiology Research, Garibaldijeva Street 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | | | - Martino V Franchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Rado Pišot
- Science and Research Center Koper, Institute for Kinesiology Research, Garibaldijeva Street 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Boštjan Šimunič
- Science and Research Center Koper, Institute for Kinesiology Research, Garibaldijeva Street 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Luana Toniolo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Bert Blaauw
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Via Orus 2, 35129 Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Sandri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Via Orus 2, 35129 Padua, Italy
| | - Gianni Biolo
- Clinical Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Strada di Fiume 447, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Martin Flück
- Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 5, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Marco V Narici
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy,Science and Research Center Koper, Institute for Kinesiology Research, Garibaldijeva Street 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia,CIR-MYO Myology Center, Viale G Colombo 3, 35121 Padua, Italy
| | - Matthias Mann
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany,NNF Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, Building 6.1, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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18
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McMillin SL, Minchew EC, Lowe DA, Spangenburg EE. Skeletal muscle wasting: the estrogen side of sexual dimorphism. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 322:C24-C37. [PMID: 34788147 PMCID: PMC8721895 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00333.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The importance of defining sex differences across various biological and physiological mechanisms is more pervasive now than it has been over the past 15-20 years. As the muscle biology field pushes to identify small molecules and interventions to prevent, attenuate, or even reverse muscle wasting, we must consider the effect of sex as a biological variable. It should not be assumed that a therapeutic will affect males and females with equal efficacy or equivalent target affinities under conditions where muscle wasting is observed. With that said, it is not surprising to find that we have an unclear or even a poor understanding of the effects of sex or sex hormones on muscle wasting conditions. Although recent investigations are beginning to establish experimental approaches that will allow investigators to assess the impact of sex-specific hormones on muscle wasting, the field still needs rigorous scientific tools that will allow the community to address critical hypotheses centered around sex hormones. The focus of this review is on female sex hormones, specifically estrogens, and the roles that these hormones and their receptors play in skeletal muscle wasting conditions. With the overall review goal of assembling the current knowledge in the area of sexual dimorphism driven by estrogens with an effort to provide insights to interested physiologists on necessary considerations when trying to assess models for potential sex differences in cellular and molecular mechanisms of muscle wasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawna L. McMillin
- 1Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota,2Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Everett C. Minchew
- 3Department of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
| | - Dawn A. Lowe
- 1Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota,2Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Espen E. Spangenburg
- 3Department of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
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Rosa-Caldwell ME, Mortreux M, Kaiser UB, Sung DM, Bouxsein ML, Dunlap KR, Greene NP, Rutkove SB. The oestrous cycle and skeletal muscle atrophy: Investigations in rodent models of muscle loss. Exp Physiol 2021; 106:2472-2488. [PMID: 34569104 DOI: 10.1113/ep089962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? Is the oestrous cycle affected during disuse atrophies and, if so, how are oestrous cycle changes related to musculoskeletal outcomes? What is the main finding and its importance? Rodent oestrous cycles were altered during disuse atrophy, which was correlated with musculoskeletal outcomes. However, the oestrous cycle did not appear to be changed by Lewis lung carcinoma, which resulted in no differences in muscle size in comparison to healthy control animals. These findings suggest a relationship between the oestrous cycle and muscle size during atrophic pathologies. ABSTRACT Recent efforts have focused on improving our understanding of female muscle physiology during exposure to muscle atrophic stimuli. A key feature of female rodent physiology is the oestrous cycle. However, it is not known how such stimuli interact with the oestrous cycle to influence muscle health. In this study, we investigated the impact of muscle atrophic stimuli on the oestrous cycle and how these alterations are correlated with musculoskeletal outcomes. A series of experiments were performed in female rodents, including hindlimb unloading (HU), HU followed by 24 h of reloading, HU combined with dexamethasone treatment, and Lewis lung carcinoma. The oestrous cycle phase was assessed throughout each intervention and correlated with musculoskeletal outcomes. Seven or 14 days of HU increased the duration in dioestrus or metoestrus (D/M; low hormones) and was negatively correlated with gastrocnemius mass. Time spent in D/M was also negatively correlated with changes in grip strength and bone density after HU, and with muscle recovery 24 h after the cessation of HU. The addition of dexamethasone strengthened these relationships between time in D/M and reduced musculoskeletal outcomes. However, in animals with Lewis lung carcinoma, oestrous cyclicity did not differ from that of control animals, and time spent in D/M was not correlated with either gastrocnemius mass or tumour burden. In vitro experiments suggested that enhanced protein synthesis induced by estrogen might protect against muscle atrophy. In conclusion, muscle atrophic insults are correlated with changes in the oestrous cycle, which are associated with deterioration in musculoskeletal outcomes. The magnitude of oestrous cycle alterations depends on the atrophic stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Rosa-Caldwell
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Cachexia Research Laboratory, Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Marie Mortreux
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ursula B Kaiser
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dong-Min Sung
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary L Bouxsein
- Center for Advanced Orthopedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kirsten R Dunlap
- Cachexia Research Laboratory, Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Nicholas P Greene
- Cachexia Research Laboratory, Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Seward B Rutkove
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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