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Al-Turki TM, Maranon DG, Nelson CB, Lewis AM, Luxton JJ, Taylor LE, Altina N, Wu F, Du H, Kim J, Damle N, Overbey E, Meydan C, Grigorev K, Winer DA, Furman D, Mason CE, Bailey SM. Telomeric RNA (TERRA) increases in response to spaceflight and high-altitude climbing. Commun Biol 2024; 7:698. [PMID: 38862827 PMCID: PMC11167063 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06014-x] [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: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive nucleoprotein complexes at chromosomal termini essential for maintaining genome stability. Telomeric RNA, or TERRA, is a previously presumed long noncoding RNA of heterogeneous lengths that contributes to end-capping structure and function, and facilitates telomeric recombination in tumors that maintain telomere length via the telomerase-independent Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) pathway. Here, we investigated TERRA in the radiation-induced DNA damage response (DDR) across astronauts, high-altitude climbers, healthy donors, and cellular models. Similar to astronauts in the space radiation environment and climbers of Mt. Everest, in vitro radiation exposure prompted increased transcription of TERRA, while simulated microgravity did not. Data suggest a specific TERRA DDR to telomeric double-strand breaks (DSBs), and provide direct demonstration of hybridized TERRA at telomere-specific DSB sites, indicative of protective TERRA:telomeric DNA hybrid formation. Targeted telomeric DSBs also resulted in accumulation of TERRA foci in G2-phase, supportive of TERRA's role in facilitating recombination-mediated telomere elongation. Results have important implications for scenarios involving persistent telomeric DNA damage, such as those associated with chronic oxidative stress (e.g., aging, systemic inflammation, environmental and occupational radiation exposures), which can trigger transient ALT in normal human cells, as well as for targeting TERRA as a therapeutic strategy against ALT-positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taghreed M Al-Turki
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - David G Maranon
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Christopher B Nelson
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Children's Medical Research Institute, 214 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Aidan M Lewis
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jared J Luxton
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Lynn E Taylor
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Noelia Altina
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Fei Wu
- Buck AI Platform, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - Huixun Du
- Buck AI Platform, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - JangKeun Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Namita Damle
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eliah Overbey
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cem Meydan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kirill Grigorev
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel A Winer
- Buck AI Platform, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - David Furman
- Buck AI Platform, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
- Stanford 1000 Immunomes Project, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral, CONICET, Pilar, Argentina
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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Mason CE, Sierra MA, Feng HJ, Bailey SM. Telomeres and aging: on and off the planet! Biogerontology 2024; 25:313-327. [PMID: 38581556 PMCID: PMC10998805 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-024-10098-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Improving human healthspan in our rapidly aging population has never been more imperative. Telomeres, protective "caps" at the ends of linear chromosomes, are essential for maintaining genome stability of eukaryotic genomes. Due to their physical location and the "end-replication problem" first envisioned by Dr. Alexey Olovnikov, telomeres shorten with cell division, the implications of which are remarkably profound. Telomeres are hallmarks and molecular drivers of aging, as well as fundamental integrating components of the cumulative effects of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that erode telomere length over time. Ongoing telomere attrition and the resulting limit to replicative potential imposed by cellular senescence serves a powerful tumor suppressor function, and also underlies aging and a spectrum of age-related degenerative pathologies, including reduced fertility, dementias, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, very little data exists regarding the extraordinary stressors and exposures associated with long-duration space exploration and eventual habitation of other planets, nor how such missions will influence telomeres, reproduction, health, disease risk, and aging. Here, we briefly review our current understanding, which has advanced significantly in recent years as a result of the NASA Twins Study, the most comprehensive evaluation of human health effects associated with spaceflight ever conducted. Thus, the Twins Study is at the forefront of personalized space medicine approaches for astronauts and sets the stage for subsequent missions. We also extrapolate from current understanding to future missions, highlighting potential biological and biochemical strategies that may enable human survival, and consider the prospect of longevity in the extreme environment of space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria A Sierra
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine and WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Tri-Institutional Computational Biology & Medicine Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Henry J Feng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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Malhan D, Schoenrock B, Yalçin M, Blottner D, Relόgio A. Circadian regulation in aging: Implications for spaceflight and life on earth. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13935. [PMID: 37493006 PMCID: PMC10497835 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13935] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the circadian system are characteristic of aging on Earth. With the decline in physiological processes due to aging, several health concerns including vision loss, cardiovascular disorders, cognitive impairments, and muscle mass loss arise in elderly populations. Similar health risks are reported as "red flag" risks among astronauts during and after a long-term Space exploration journey. However, little is known about the common molecular alterations underlying terrestrial aging and space-related aging in astronauts, and controversial conclusions have been recently reported. In light of the regulatory role of the circadian clock in the maintenance of human health, we review here the overlapping role of the circadian clock both on aging on Earth and spaceflight with a focus on the four most affected systems: visual, cardiovascular, central nervous, and musculoskeletal systems. In this review, we briefly introduce the regulatory role of the circadian clock in specific cellular processes followed by alterations in those processes due to aging. We next summarize the known molecular alterations associated with spaceflight, highlighting involved clock-regulated genes in space flown Drosophila, nematodes, small mammals, and astronauts. Finally, we discuss common genes that are altered in terms of their expression due to aging on Earth and spaceflight. Altogether, the data elaborated in this review strengthen our hypothesis regarding the timely need to include circadian dysregulation as an emerging hallmark of aging on Earth and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deeksha Malhan
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human MedicineMSH Medical School HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Britt Schoenrock
- Institute of Integrative NeuroanatomyCharité‐Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
| | - Müge Yalçin
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human MedicineMSH Medical School HamburgHamburgGermany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB)Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
| | - Dieter Blottner
- Institute of Integrative NeuroanatomyCharité‐Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Neuromuscular System and Neuromuscular SignalingBerlin Center of Space Medicine & Extreme EnvironmentsBerlinGermany
| | - Angela Relόgio
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human MedicineMSH Medical School HamburgHamburgGermany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB)Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
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Calvaruso M, Militello C, Minafra L, La Regina V, Torrisi F, Pucci G, Cammarata FP, Bravatà V, Forte GI, Russo G. Biological and Mechanical Characterization of the Random Positioning Machine (RPM) for Microgravity Simulations. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11111190. [PMID: 34833068 PMCID: PMC8619501 DOI: 10.3390/life11111190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid improvement of space technologies is leading to the continuous increase of space missions that will soon bring humans back to the Moon and, in the coming future, toward longer interplanetary missions such as the one to Mars. The idea of living in space is charming and fascinating; however, the space environment is a harsh place to host human life and exposes the crew to many physical challenges. The absence of gravity experienced in space affects many aspects of human biology and can be reproduced in vitro with the help of microgravity simulators. Simulated microgravity (s-μg) is applied in many fields of research, ranging from cell biology to physics, including cancer biology. In our study, we aimed to characterize, at the biological and mechanical level, a Random Positioning Machine in order to simulate microgravity in an in vitro model of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). We investigated the effects played by s-μg by analyzing the change of expression of some genes that drive proliferation, survival, cell death, cancer stemness, and metastasis in the human MDA-MB-231 cell line. Besides the mechanical verification of the RPM used in our studies, our biological findings highlighted the impact of s-μg and its putative involvement in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Calvaruso
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
| | - Carmelo Militello
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
| | - Luigi Minafra
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Filippo Torrisi
- Departments of Biomedical and BioTechnological Science (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Gaia Pucci
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STeBiCeF), University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Francesco P. Cammarata
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
| | - Valentina Bravatà
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
| | - Giusi I. Forte
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
| | - Giorgio Russo
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy; (M.C.); (C.M.); (F.P.C.); (V.B.); (G.I.F.); (G.R.)
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