Validation of a New Rodent Experimental System to Investigate Consequences of Long Duration Space Habitation

Mission SpaceX CRS-19 RRRM-1 space flight induced skin genomic plasticity via an epigenetic trigger

Genomic plasticity helps adapt to extreme environmental conditions. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to space environment (ESE) impacts the epigenome inducing genomic plasticity. Murine skin samples from the Rodent Research Reference Mission-1 were procured from the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory. Targeted RNA sequencing to test differential gene expression between the skin of ESE versus ground controls revealed upregulation of VEGF-mediated angiogenesis pathways secondary to promoter hypomethylation in responders. Methylome sequencing identified ESE-sensitive hypomethylated genes including developmental angiogenic genes Araf, Vegfb, and Vegfr1. Based on differentially expressed genes, the angiogenesis biofunction was enriched in responders. The induction of genomic plasticity in response to ESE, as reported herein, may be viewed as a mark of biological resilience that is evident in a minority of organisms, responders but not in non-responders, exposed to the same stressor. Inducible genomic plasticity may be implicated in natural resilience to ESE.

Metabolic stress in space: ROS-induced mutations in mice hint at a new path to cancer

Long-duration spaceflight beyond Earth's magnetosphere poses serious health risks, including muscle atrophy, bone loss, liver and kidney damage, and the Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). RNA-seq of mice aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for 37 days revealed extraordinary hypermutation in tissue-specific genes, with guanine base conversion predominating, potentially contributing to spaceflight-associated health risks. Our results suggest that the genome-wide accelerated mutation that we measured, seemingly independent of radiation dose, was induced by oxidative damage from higher atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the ISS. This accelerated mutation, faster via RNA transcription than replication and more numerous than by radiation alone, unveils novel hotspots in the mammalian proteome. Notably, these hotspots correlate with commonly mutated genes across various human cancers, highlighting the ISS as a crucial platform for studying accelerated mutation, genome instability, and the induction of disease-causing mutations in model organisms. Our results suggest that metabolic processes can contribute to somatic mutation, and thus may play a role in the development of cancer. A metabolic link to genetic instability potentially has far-reaching implications for various diseases, with implications for human health on Earth and in space.

Spaceflight increases sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak and this cannot be counteracted with BuOE treatment

Spending time in a microgravity environment is known to cause significant skeletal muscle atrophy and weakness via muscle unloading, which can be partly attributed to Ca2+ dysregulation. The sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump is responsible for bringing Ca2+ from the cytosol into its storage site, the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), at the expense of ATP. We have recently demonstrated that, in the soleus of space-flown mice, the Ca2+ uptake ability of the SERCA pump is severely impaired and this may be attributed to increases in reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS), to which SERCA is highly susceptible. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate whether treatment with the antioxidant, Manganese(III) meso-tetrakis(N-n-butoxyethylpyridinium-2-yl)porphyrin, MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ (BuOE), could attenuate muscle atrophy and SERCA dysfunction. We received soleus muscles from the rodent research 18 mission which had male mice housed on the international space station for 35 days and treated with either saline or BuOE. Spaceflight significantly reduced the soleus:body mass ratio and significantly increased SERCA's ionophore ratio, a measure of SR Ca2+ leak, and 4-HNE content (marker of RONS), none of which could be rescued by BuOE treatment. In conclusion, we find that spaceflight induces significant soleus muscle atrophy and SR Ca2+ leak that cannot be counteracted with BuOE treatment. Future work should investigate alternative therapeutics that are specifically aimed at increasing SERCA activation or reducing Ca2+ leak.

Aging and putative frailty biomarkers are altered by spaceflight

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.

Harmonizing heterogeneous transcriptomics datasets for machine learning-based analysis to identify spaceflown murine liver-specific changes

NASA has employed high-throughput molecular assays to identify sub-cellular changes impacting human physiology during spaceflight. Machine learning (ML) methods hold the promise to improve our ability to identify important signals within highly dimensional molecular data. However, the inherent limitation of study subject numbers within a spaceflight mission minimizes the utility of ML approaches. To overcome the sample power limitations, data from multiple spaceflight missions must be aggregated while appropriately addressing intra- and inter-study variabilities. Here we describe an approach to log transform, scale and normalize data from six heterogeneous, mouse liver-derived transcriptomics datasets (ntotal = 137) which enabled ML-methods to classify spaceflown vs. ground control animals (AUC ≥ 0.87) while mitigating the variability from mission-of-origin. Concordance was found between liver-specific biological processes identified from harmonized ML-based analysis and study-by-study classical omics analysis. This work demonstrates the feasibility of applying ML methods on integrated, heterogeneous datasets of small sample size.

Spaceflight induces changes in gene expression profiles linked to insulin and estrogen

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.

The Role of Mechanotransduction in Contact Inhibition of Locomotion and Proliferation

Contact inhibition (CI) represents a crucial tumor-suppressive mechanism responsible for controlling the unbridled growth of cells, thus preventing the formation of cancerous tissues. CI can be further categorized into two distinct yet interrelated components: CI of locomotion (CIL) and CI of proliferation (CIP). These two components of CI have historically been viewed as separate processes, but emerging research suggests that they may be regulated by both distinct and shared pathways. Specifically, recent studies have indicated that both CIP and CIL utilize mechanotransduction pathways, a process that involves cells sensing and responding to mechanical forces. This review article describes the role of mechanotransduction in CI, shedding light on how mechanical forces regulate CIL and CIP. Emphasis is placed on filamin A (FLNA)-mediated mechanotransduction, elucidating how FLNA senses mechanical forces and translates them into crucial biochemical signals that regulate cell locomotion and proliferation. In addition to FLNA, trans-acting factors (TAFs), which are proteins or regulatory RNAs capable of directly or indirectly binding to specific DNA sequences in distant genes to regulate gene expression, emerge as sensitive players in both the mechanotransduction and signaling pathways of CI. This article presents methods for identifying these TAF proteins and profiling the associated changes in chromatin structure, offering valuable insights into CI and other biological functions mediated by mechanotransduction. Finally, it addresses unanswered research questions in these fields and delineates their possible future directions.

Toward countering muscle and bone loss with spaceflight: GSK3 as a potential target

We examined the effects of ∼30 days of spaceflight on glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) content and inhibitory serine phosphorylation in murine muscle and bone samples from four separate missions (BION-M1, rodent research [RR]1, RR9, and RR18). Spaceflight reduced GSK3β content across all missions, whereas its serine phosphorylation was elevated with RR18 and BION-M1. The reduction in GSK3β was linked to the reduction in type IIA fibers commonly observed with spaceflight as these fibers are particularly enriched with GSK3. We then tested the effects of inhibiting GSK3 before this fiber type shift, and we demonstrate that muscle-specific Gsk3 knockdown increased muscle mass, preserved muscle strength, and promoted the oxidative fiber type with Earth-based hindlimb unloading. In bone, GSK3 activation was enhanced after spaceflight; and strikingly, muscle-specific Gsk3 deletion increased bone mineral density in response to hindlimb unloading. Thus, future studies should test the effects of GSK3 inhibition during spaceflight.

Small changes in thermoregulation influence cancellous bone turnover balance in distal femur metaphysis in growing female mice

Mice are typically housed at temperatures well below their thermoneutral zone. When individually housed at room temperature (~22 °C) mice experience cold stress which results in cancellous bone loss and has the potential to alter the skeletal response to treatment. It is not clear if there is a threshold temperature for cold stress-induced bone loss. It is also not clear if alternative strategies for attenuating cold stress, such as group housing, influence bone accrual and turnover. This study aimed to determine how small differences in temperature (4 °C) or heat loss (individual versus group housing with nestlets) influence bone in growing female C57BL/6 J mice. Five-week-old mice were randomized by weight to 1 of 4 treatment groups (N = 10/group): 1) baseline, 2) single housed at 22 °C, 3) single housed at 26 °C, or 4) group housed (n = 5/cage) with nestlets at 22 °C. Mice in the baseline group were sacrificed 1 week later, at 6 weeks of age. The other 3 groups of mice were maintained at their respective temperatures and housing conditions for 13 weeks until 18 weeks of age. Compared to baseline, mice single housed at room temperature had increased body weight and femur size, but dramatically decreased cancellous bone volume fraction in distal femur metaphysis. The cancellous bone loss was attenuated but not prevented in mice individually housed at 26 °C or group housed at 22 °C. In conclusion, by impacting thermogenesis or heat loss, modest differences in housing conditions could influence experimental results.

Specific host metabolite and gut microbiome alterations are associated with bone loss during spaceflight

Understanding the axis of the human microbiome and physiological homeostasis is an essential task in managing deep-space-travel-associated health risks. The NASA-led Rodent Research 5 mission enabled an ancillary investigation of the gut microbiome, varying exposure to microgravity (flight) relative to ground controls in the context of previously shown bone mineral density (BMD) loss that was observed in these flight groups. We demonstrate elevated abundance of Lactobacillus murinus and Dorea sp. during microgravity exposure relative to ground control through whole-genome sequencing and 16S rRNA analyses. Specific functionally assigned gene clusters of L. murinus and Dorea sp. capable of producing metabolites, lactic acid, leucine/isoleucine, and glutathione are enriched. These metabolites are elevated in the microgravity-exposed host serum as shown by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) metabolomic analysis. Along with BMD loss, ELISA reveals increases in osteocalcin and reductions in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b signifying additional loss of bone homeostasis in flight.

Challenges and considerations for single-cell and spatially resolved transcriptomics sample collection during spaceflight

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.

Effects of long-term simulated microgravity on liver metabolism in rhesus macaques

The liver is an essential multifunctional organ and constantly communicates with nearly all the tissues in the body. Spaceflight or simulated microgravity has a significant impact on the livers of rodent models, including lipid accumulation and inflammatory cell infiltration. Whether similar liver lipotoxicity could occur in humans is not known, even though altered circulating cholesterol profile has been reported in astronauts. Using a 42-day head-down bed rest (HDBR) model in rhesus macaques, the present study investigated whether simulated microgravity alters the liver of non-human primates at the transcriptome and metabolome levels. Its association with stress and intestinal changes was also explored. Compared to the controls, the HDBR monkeys showed mild liver injury, elevated ANGPTL3 level in the plasma, and accumulation of fat vacuoles and inflammatory cells in the liver. Altered transcriptome signatures with up-regulation of genes in lipid metabolisms and down-regulation of genes in innate immune defense were also found in HDBR group-derived liver samples. The metabolic profiling of the liver revealed mildly disturbed fatty acid metabolism in the liver of HDBR monkeys. The intestinal dysbiosis, its associated endotoxemia and changes in the composition of bile acids, and elevated stress hormone in HDBR monkeys may contribute to the altered lipid metabolisms in the liver. These data indicate that liver metabolic functions and gut-liver axis should be closely monitored in prolonged spaceflight to facilitate strategy design to improve and maintain metabolic homeostasis.

Laboratory animal strain mobilities: handling with care for animal sentience and biosecurity

The global distribution of laboratory mouse strains is valued for ensuring the continuity, validity and accessibility of model organisms. Mouse strains are therefore assumed mobile and able to travel. We draw on the concept of 'animal mobilities' (Hodgetts and Lorimer 2019) to explain how attending to laboratory mice as living animal, commodity and scientific tool is shaping how they are transported through contemporary scientific infrastructures and communities. Our paper is framed around exploring how animal strains travel, rather than animals, as we show that it is only through understanding strain mobility that we can explain how and why live animal movement can be replaced by germinal products. The research is based on qualitative fieldwork in 2018 and 2019 that included 2 weeks ethnography and interviews with key informants involved in the movement of laboratory animals. The empirical analysis discusses practices that relate to managing biosecurity and animal welfare concerns when moving laboratory animal strains. In closing we reflect more broadly on the contemporary 'ethico-onto-epistemological' (Barad, 2014) entanglement that shapes who or what travels to support laboratory science data-making practices, and the intensity of care 'tinkering' practices (Mol and Law 2010) that facilitate the movement. We explain how a laboratory animal strain exceeds its value solely as a mobile and thus exchangeable commodity, illustrated in how values that relate to animal sentience and infection-risk supports its material transformation. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly common for non-sentient germinal products - embryos and gametes - to replace live sentient animals when being moved.

Which precocial rodent species is more suitable as the experimental model of microgravity influence on prenatal musculosketal development on international space station?

The International Space Station (ISS) has the possibility to perform experiments regarding rodent reproduction in microgravity. The musculoskeletal system at birth in precocial rodent species more resembles the human than that of altricial rodent species. For precocial rodent species with body weight ≤ 500 g (limit of ISS) determined were: adult body mass, newborn body mass, head-body length, tail length, existing variants (wild, domesticated, laboratory), single/group housing, dry food consumption/24 h, water intake/24 h, basal metabolic rate mlO2/g/h, environmental temperature, sand baths, urine output ml/24 h, fecal output g/24 h, size of fecal droplet, hair length, life span, length of oestrus cycle, duration of pregnancy, building nest, litter size, stage of musculoskeletal maturity at birth, and the duration of weaning. Characteristics were obtained by searching SCOPUS as well as the World Wide Web with key words for each of the species in English, Latin and, local language name. These characteristics were compared in order to find most appropriate species. Twelve precocial rodent species were identified. There is not enough data for Common yellow-toothed cavy, and Eastern spiny mouse. Inappropriate species were: Gundis, Dassie rat are a more demanding species for appropriate tending, litter size is small; Octodon degus requires sand baths as well as a nest during the first two weeks after delivery; muscle maturity of Spiny mouse at birth (myotubular stage), does not correspond to the human (late histochemical stage); Chinchilla requires separately housing, daily sand baths, has upper limit of weight. Possibility of keeping Southern mountain cavy as pet animal, short estrus, large litter size, absence of the need for nest and sand baths, makes this species the most promising candidates for experiments on ISS. If an experiment is planned with exposing gravid animals before term of the birth, then they might be kept together in the existing Rodent Habitat (USA). If an experiment with birth in microgravity is planned on ISS, the existing habitats do not provide conditions for such an experiment. It is necessary to develop habitats for separate keeping of pregnant animals to enable the following: 1. undisturbed delivery 2. prevent the possibility of hurting the newborns 3. ensure adequate post-partum maternal care and nursing.

From Cultured Vascular Cells to Vessels: The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Vascular Dysfunction in Space

Life evolved on this planet under the pull of gravity, shielded from radiation by the magnetosphere and shaped by circadian rhythms due to Earth’s rotation on its axis. Once living beings leave such a protective environment, adaptive responses are activated to grant survival. In view of long manned mission out of Earth’s orbit, it is relevant to understand how humans adapt to space and if the responses activated might reveal detrimental in the long run. Here we review present knowledge about the effects on the vessels of various extraterrestrial factors on humans as well as in vivo and in vitro experimental models. It emerges that the vasculature activates complex adaptive responses finalized to supply oxygen and nutrients to all the tissues and to remove metabolic waste and carbon dioxide. Most studies point to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction as mediators of vascular alterations in space. Unraveling the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in these adaptive processes might offer hints to design proper and personalized countermeasures to predict a safe future in space.

Mechanobiological Implications of Cancer Progression in Space

The human body is normally adapted to maintain homeostasis in a terrestrial environment. The novel conditions of a space environment introduce challenges that changes the cellular response to its surroundings. Such an alteration causes physical changes in the extracellular microenvironment, inducing the secretion of cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β) from cancer cells to enhance cancer malignancy. Cancer is one of the most prominent cell types to be affected by mechanical cues via active interaction with the tumor microenvironment. However, the mechanism by which cancer cells mechanotransduce in the space environment, as well as the influence of this process on human health, have not been fully elucidated. Due to the growing interest in space biology, this article reviews cancer cell responses to the representative conditions altered in space: microgravity, decompression, and irradiation. Interestingly, cytokine and gene expression that assist in tumor survival, invasive phenotypic transformation, and cancer cell proliferation are upregulated when exposed to both simulated and actual space conditions. The necessity of further research on space mechanobiology such as simulating more complex in vivo experiments or finding other mechanical cues that may be encountered during spaceflight are emphasized.

Simulated microgravity accelerates aging of human skeletal muscle myoblasts at the single cell level

Earth's gravity is essential for maintaining skeletal muscle mass and function in the body. The role of gravity in the myogenic mechanism has been studied with animal experiments in the International Space Station. Recently, gravity-control devices allow to study the effects of gravity on cultured cells on the ground. This study demonstrated that simulated microgravity accelerated aging of human skeletal muscle myoblasts in an in-vitro culture. The microgravity culture induced a significant decrease in cell proliferation and an enlargement of the cytoskeleton and nucleus of cells. Similar changes are often observed in aged myoblasts following several passages. In fact, by the microgravity culture the expression of senescence associated β-Gal was significantly enhanced, and some muscle-specific proteins decreased in the enlarged cells. Importantly, these microgravity effects remained with the cells even after a return to normal gravity conditions. Consequently, the microgravity-affected myoblasts demonstrated a reduced capability of differentiation into myotubes. In the body, it is difficult to interpret the disability of microgravity-affected myoblasts, since muscle regeneration is linked to the supply of new myogenic cells. Therefore, our in-vitro cell culture study will be advantageous to better understand the role of each type of myogenic cell in human muscle without gravitational stress at the single cell level.

Characterizing SERCA Function in Murine Skeletal Muscles after 35-37 Days of Spaceflight

It is well established that microgravity exposure causes significant muscle weakness and atrophy via muscle unloading. On Earth, muscle unloading leads to a disproportionate loss in muscle force and size with the loss in muscle force occurring at a faster rate. Although the exact mechanisms are unknown, a role for Ca²⁺ dysregulation has been suggested. The sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase (SERCA) pump actively brings cytosolic Ca²⁺ into the SR, eliciting muscle relaxation and maintaining low intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i). SERCA dysfunction contributes to elevations in [Ca²⁺]_i, leading to cellular damage, and may contribute to the muscle weakness and atrophy observed with spaceflight. Here, we investigated SERCA function, SERCA regulatory protein content, and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS) protein adduction in murine skeletal muscle after 35–37 days of spaceflight. In male and female soleus muscles, spaceflight led to drastic impairments in Ca²⁺ uptake despite significant increases in SERCA1a protein content. We attribute this impairment to an increase in RONS production and elevated total protein tyrosine (T) nitration and cysteine (S) nitrosylation. Contrarily, in the tibialis anterior (TA), we observed an enhancement in Ca²⁺ uptake, which we attribute to a shift towards a faster muscle fiber type (i.e., increased myosin heavy chain IIb and SERCA1a) without elevated total protein T-nitration and S-nitrosylation. Thus, spaceflight affects SERCA function differently between the soleus and TA.

Mammalian and Invertebrate Models as Complementary Tools for Gaining Mechanistic Insight on Muscle Responses to Spaceflight

Bioinformatics approaches have proven useful in understanding biological responses to spaceflight. Spaceflight experiments remain resource intensive and rare. One outstanding issue is how to maximize scientific output from a limited number of omics datasets from traditional animal models including nematodes, fruitfly, and rodents. The utility of omics data from invertebrate models in anticipating mammalian responses to spaceflight has not been fully explored. Hence, we performed comparative analyses of transcriptomes of soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) in mice that underwent 37 days of spaceflight. Results indicate shared stress responses and altered circadian rhythm. EDL showed more robust growth signals and Pde2a downregulation, possibly underlying its resistance to atrophy versus soleus. Spaceflight and hindlimb unloading mice shared differential regulation of proliferation, circadian, and neuronal signaling. Shared gene regulation in muscles of humans on bedrest and space flown rodents suggest targets for mitigating muscle atrophy in space and on Earth. Spaceflight responses of C. elegans were more similar to EDL. Discrete life stages of D. melanogaster have distinct utility in anticipating EDL and soleus responses. In summary, spaceflight leads to shared and discrete molecular responses between muscle types and invertebrate models may augment mechanistic knowledge gained from rodent spaceflight and ground-based studies.

An Analysis of the Effects of Spaceflight and Vaccination on Antibody Repertoire Diversity

Ab repertoire diversity plays a critical role in the host's ability to fight pathogens. CDR3 is partially responsible for Ab-Ag binding and is a significant source of diversity in the repertoire. CDR3 diversity is generated during VDJ rearrangement because of gene segment selection, gene segment trimming and splicing, and the addition of nucleotides. We analyzed the Ab repertoire diversity across multiple experiments examining the effects of spaceflight on the Ab repertoire after vaccination. Five datasets from four experiments were analyzed using rank-abundance curves and Shannon indices as measures of diversity. We discovered a trend toward lower diversity as a result of spaceflight but did not find the same decrease in our physiological model of microgravity in either the spleen or bone marrow. However, the bone marrow repertoire showed a reduction in diversity after vaccination. We also detected differences in Shannon indices between experiments and tissues. We did not detect a pattern of CDR3 usage across the experiments. Overall, we were able to find differences in the Ab repertoire diversity across experimental groups and tissues.

Evidence for increased thermogenesis in female C57BL/6J mice housed aboard the international space station

Sixteen-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were sacrificed aboard the International Space Station after 37 days of flight (RR-1 mission) and frozen carcasses returned to Earth. RNA was isolated from interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) and gonadal white adipose tissue (WAT). Spaceflight resulted in differential expression of genes in BAT consistent with increased non-shivering thermogenesis and differential expression of genes in WAT consistent with increased glucose uptake and metabolism, adipogenesis, and β-oxidation.

Placenta-Expanded Stromal Cell Therapy in a Rodent Model of Simulated Weightlessness

Long duration spaceflight poses potential health risks to astronauts during flight and re-adaptation after return to Earth. There is an emerging need for NASA to provide successful and reliable therapeutics for long duration missions when capability for medical intervention will be limited. Clinically relevant, human placenta-derived therapeutic stromal cells (PLX-PAD) are a promising therapeutic alternative. We found that treatment of adult female mice with PLX-PAD near the onset of simulated weightlessness by hindlimb unloading (HU, 30 d) was well-tolerated and partially mitigated decrements caused by HU. Specifically, PLX-PAD treatment rescued HU-induced thymic atrophy, and mitigated HU-induced changes in percentages of circulating neutrophils, but did not rescue changes in the percentages of lymphocytes, monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, T-cells and splenic atrophy. Further, PLX-PAD partially mitigated HU effects on the expression of select cytokines in the hippocampus. In contrast, PLX-PAD failed to protect bone and muscle from HU-induced effects, suggesting that the mechanisms which regulate the structure of these mechanosensitive tissues in response to disuse are discrete from those that regulate the immune- and central nervous system (CNS). These findings support the therapeutic potential of placenta-derived stromal cells for select physiological deficits during simulated spaceflight. Multiple countermeasures are likely needed for comprehensive protection from the deleterious effects of prolonged spaceflight.

Effects of spaceflight aboard the International Space Station on mouse estrous cycle and ovarian gene expression

Ovarian steroids dramatically impact normal homeostatic and metabolic processes of most tissues within the body, including muscle, bone, neural, immune, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. Determining the effects of spaceflight on the ovary and estrous cycle is, therefore, critical to our understanding of all spaceflight experiments using female mice. Adult female mice (n = 10) were exposed to and sacrificed on-orbit after 37 days of spaceflight in microgravity. Contemporary control (preflight baseline, vivarium, and habitat; n = 10/group) groups were maintained at the Kennedy Space Center, prior to sacrifice and similar tissue collection at the NASA Ames Research Center. Ovarian tissues were collected and processed for RNA and steroid analyses at initial carcass thaw. Vaginal wall tissue collected from twice frozen/thawed carcasses was fixed for estrous cycle stage determinations. The proportion of animals in each phase of the estrous cycle (i.e., proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus) did not appreciably differ between baseline, vivarium, and flight mice, while habitat control mice exhibited greater numbers in diestrus. Ovarian tissue steroid concentrations indicated no differences in estradiol across groups, while progesterone levels were lower (p < 0.05) in habitat and flight compared to baseline females. Genes involved in ovarian steroidogenic function were not differentially expressed across groups. As ovarian estrogen can dramatically impact multiple non-reproductive tissues, these data support vaginal wall estrous cycle classification of all female mice flown in space. Additionally, since females exposed to long-term spaceflight were observed at different estrous cycle stages, this indicates females are likely undergoing ovarian cyclicity and may yet be fertile.

A New Era for Space Life Science: International Standards for Space Omics Processing

Space agencies have announced plans for human missions to the Moon to prepare for Mars. However, the space environment presents stressors that include radiation, microgravity, and isolation. Understanding how these factors affect biology is crucial for safe and effective crewed space exploration. There is a need to develop countermeasures, to adapt plants and microbes for nutrient sources and bioregenerative life support, and to limit pathogen infection. Scientists across the world are conducting space omics experiments on model organisms and, more recently, on humans. Optimal extraction of actionable scientific discoveries from these precious datasets will only occur at the collective level with improved standardization. To address this shortcoming, we established ISSOP (International Standards for Space Omics Processing), an international consortium of scientists who aim to enhance standard guidelines between space biologists at a global level. Here we introduce our consortium and share past lessons learned and future challenges related to spaceflight omics.

RNAseq Analysis of Rodent Spaceflight Experiments Is Confounded by Sample Collection Techniques

To understand the physiological changes that occur in response to spaceflight, mice are transported to the International Space Station (ISS) and housed for variable periods of time before euthanasia on-orbit or return to Earth. Sample collection under such difficult conditions introduces confounding factors that need to be identified and addressed. We found large changes in the transcriptome of mouse tissues dissected and preserved on-orbit compared with tissues from mice euthanized on-orbit, preserved, and dissected after return to Earth. Changes due to preservation method eclipsed those between flight and ground samples, making it difficult to identify spaceflight-specific changes. Follow-on experiments to interrogate the roles of euthanasia methods, tissue and carcass preservation protocols, and library preparation methods suggested that differences due to preservation protocols are exacerbated when coupled with polyA selection. This has important implications for the interpretation of existing datasets and the design of future experiments.

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Experimentation is necessary to understand how organisms respond to space

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Specialized protocols are used for preserving biological samples on the ISS

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RNAseq datasets are impacted by preservation protocols used on the ISS

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Impacts can be alleviated with improved carcass preservation protocols

Implications of Altered Endosome and Lysosome Biology in Space Environments

Space exploration poses multiple challenges for mankind, not only on a technical level but also to the entire physiology of the space traveller. The human system must adapt to several environmental stressors, microgravity being one of them. Lysosomes are ubiquitous to every cell and essential for their homeostasis, playing significant roles in the regulation of autophagy, immunity, and adaptation of the organism to changes in their environment, to name a few. Dysfunction of the lysosomal system leads to age-related diseases, for example bone loss, reduced immune response or cancer. As these conditions have been shown to be accelerated following exposure to microgravity, this review elucidates the lysosomal response to real and simulated microgravity. Microgravity activates the endo-lysosomal system, with resulting impacts on bone loss, muscle atrophy and stem cell differentiation. The investigation of lysosomal adaptation to microgravity can be beneficial in the search for new biomarkers or therapeutic approaches to several disease pathologies on earth as well as the potential to mitigate pathophysiology during spaceflight.

Integrated RNA-seq Analysis Indicates Asynchrony in Clock Genes between Tissues under Spaceflight

Rodent models have been widely used as analogs for estimating spaceflight-relevant molecular mechanisms in human tissues. NASA GeneLab provides access to numerous spaceflight omics datasets that can potentially generate novel insights and hypotheses about fundamental space biology when analyzed in new and integrated fashions. Here, we performed a pilot study to elucidate space biological mechanisms across tissues by reanalyzing mouse RNA-sequencing spaceflight data archived on NASA GeneLab. Our results showed that clock gene expressions in spaceflight mice were altered compared with those in ground control mice. Furthermore, the results suggested that spaceflight promotes asynchrony of clock gene expressions between peripheral tissues. Abnormal circadian rhythms are associated not only with jet lag and sleep disorders but also with cancer, lifestyle-related diseases, and mental disorders. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of elucidating the causes of circadian rhythm disruptions using the unique approach of space biology research to one day potentially develop countermeasures that benefit humans on Earth and in space.