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Giacinto O, Pelliccia F, Minati A, De Crescenzo F, Garo ML, Chello M, Lusini M. Cosmic Radiations and the Cardiovascular System: A Narrative Review. Cardiol Rev 2024; 32:433-439. [PMID: 36728769 DOI: 10.1097/crd.0000000000000521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In recent times, space flights receive continued interest. Humankind's next two goals are to return to the Moon and, a few years later, to land on the surface of Mars. Although technology will improve enough to enable long voyages, there are still some unresolved questions about the effects of the space environment on human health, including the effects of such long voyages on organs. Specifically, there is no information on the effects of radiation in space on the human cardiovascular system. To better understand the adaptation of the cardiovascular system to radiation exposure, the physical properties of radiation and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying tissue changes are essential. To this end, this article aims to provide an overview of the effects of radiation on the cardiovascular system by analyzing the physical properties of radiation and their relationship to cellular and molecular mechanisms and potential changes. Each type of radiation triggers different responses in the cardiovascular system. Radiation plays a relevant role in altering endothelial function and arterial wall stiffness by inducing vascular changes that accelerate atherosclerosis and affect endothelial adhesiveness. Clinical studies have shown that vascular changes due to radiation depend on the delayed manifestations of early radiation damage. To reduce the effects of radiation in space, some pharmacological treatments that seem to be able to counteract oxidative stress during flight are being used. At the same time, new shielding systems that can reduce or eliminate radiation exposure must be developed. Future studies should aim to replicate flights in the deep space environment to study in more detail the harmful effects of radiation on the whole cardiovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Giacinto
- From the Università Campus Bio-medico di Roma, UOC di Cardiochirurgia, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Maria Luisa Garo
- From the Università Campus Bio-medico di Roma, UOC di Cardiochirurgia, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Chello
- From the Università Campus Bio-medico di Roma, UOC di Cardiochirurgia, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Lusini
- From the Università Campus Bio-medico di Roma, UOC di Cardiochirurgia, Rome, Italy
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2
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Luitel K, Siteni S, Barron S, Shay JW. Simulated galactic cosmic radiation-induced cancer progression in mice. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2024; 41:43-51. [PMID: 38670651 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2024.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Prolonged manned space flight exposure risks to galactic comic radiation, has led to uncertainties in a variety of health risks. Our previous work, utilizing either single ion or multiple ion radiation exposure conducted at the NSRL (NASA Space Radiation Laboratory, Brookhaven, NY) demonstrated that HZE ion components of the GCR result in persistent inflammatory signaling, increased mutations, and higher rates of cancer initiation and progression. With the development of the 33-beam galactic cosmic radiation simulations (GCRsim) at the NSRL, we can more closely test on earth the radiation environment found in space. With a previously used lung cancer susceptible mouse model (K-rasLA-1), we performed acute exposure experiments lasting 1-2 h, and chronic exposure experiments lasting 2-6 weeks with a total dose of 50 cGy and 75 cGy. We obtained histological samples from a subset of mice 100 days post-irradiation, and the remaining mice were monitored for overall survival up to 1-year post-irradiation. When we compared acute exposures (1-2 hrs.) and chronic exposure (2-6 weeks), we found a trend in the increase of lung adenocarcinoma respectively for a total dose of 50 cGy and 75 cGy. Furthermore, when we added neutron exposure to the 75 cGy of GCRsim, we saw a further increase in the incidence of adenocarcinoma. We interpret these findings to suggest that the risks of carcinogenesis are heightened with doses anticipated during a round trip to Mars, and this risk is magnified when coupled with extra neutron exposure that are expected on the Martian surface. We also observed that risks are reduced when the NASA official 33-beam GCR simulations are provided at high dose rates compared to low dose rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Luitel
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Silvia Siteni
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Summer Barron
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jerry W Shay
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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Russu E, Arbanasi EM, Chirila TV, Muresan AV. Therapeutic strategies based on non-ionizing radiation to prevent venous neointimal hyperplasia: the relevance for stenosed arteriovenous fistula, and the role of vascular compliance. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1356671. [PMID: 38374996 PMCID: PMC10875031 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1356671] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
We have reviewed the development and current status of therapies based on exposure to non-ionizing radiation (with a photon energy less than 10 eV) aimed at suppressing the venous neointimal hyperplasia, and consequentially at avoiding stenosis in arteriovenous grafts. Due to the drawbacks associated with the medical use of ionizing radiation, prominently the radiation-induced cardiovascular disease, the availability of procedures using non-ionizing radiation is becoming a noteworthy objective for the current research. Further, the focus of the review was the use of such procedures for improving the vascular access function and assuring the clinical success of arteriovenous fistulae in hemodialysis patients. Following a brief discussion of the physical principles underlying radiotherapy, the current methods based on non-ionizing radiation, either in use or under development, were described in detail. There are currently five such techniques, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), far-infrared therapy, photochemical tissue passivation (PTP), Alucent vascular scaffolding, and adventitial photocrosslinking. The last three are contingent on the mechanical stiffening achievable by the exogenous photochemical crosslinking of tissular collagen, a process that leads to the decrease of venous compliance. As there are conflicting opinions on the role of compliance mismatch between arterial and venous conduits in a graft, this aspect was also considered in our review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Russu
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Emil-Marian Arbanasi
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
- Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
- Centre for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research (CCAMF), George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Traian V. Chirila
- Centre for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research (CCAMF), George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
- Queensland Eye Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Adrian V. Muresan
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
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Perdyan A, Jąkalski M, Horbacz M, Beheshti A, Mieczkowski J. Chromosomal positioning and epigenetic architecture influence DNA methylation patterns triggered by galactic cosmic radiation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1324. [PMID: 38225252 PMCID: PMC10789781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51756-7] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite surging interest in space travel in recent decades, the impacts of prolonged, elevated exposure to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) on human health remain poorly understood. This form of ionizing radiation causes significant changes to biological systems including damage to DNA structure by altering epigenetic phenotype with emphasis on DNA methylation. Building on previous work by Kennedy et al. (Sci Rep 8(1): 6709. 10.1038/S41598-018-24755-8), we evaluated spatial DNA methylation patterns triggered by high-LET (56Fe, 28Si) and low-LET (X-ray) radiation and the influence of chromosome positioning and epigenetic architecture in distinct radial layers of cell nucleus. Next, we validated our results using gene expression data of mice irradiated with simulated GCR and JAXA astronauts. We showed that primarily 56Fe induces a persistent DNA methylation increase whereas 28Si and X-ray induce a decrease DNA methylation which is not persistent with time. Moreover, we highlighted the role of nuclear chromatin architecture in cell response to external radiation. In summary, our study provides novel insights towards epigenetic and transcriptomic response as well as chromatin multidimensional structure influence on galactic cosmic radiation damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Perdyan
- International Research Agenda 3P - Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdansk, Marii Sklodowskiej Curie 3a, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marcin Jąkalski
- International Research Agenda 3P - Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdansk, Marii Sklodowskiej Curie 3a, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Monika Horbacz
- International Research Agenda 3P - Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdansk, Marii Sklodowskiej Curie 3a, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Afshin Beheshti
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jakub Mieczkowski
- International Research Agenda 3P - Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdansk, Marii Sklodowskiej Curie 3a, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland.
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Brojakowska A, Jackson CJ, Bisserier M, Khlgatian MK, Jagana V, Eskandari A, Grano C, Blattnig SR, Zhang S, Fish KM, Chepurko V, Chepurko E, Gillespie V, Dai Y, Kumar Rai A, Garikipati VNS, Hadri L, Kishore R, Goukassian DA. Lifetime evaluation of left ventricular structure and function in male ApoE null mice after gamma and space-type radiation exposure. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1292033. [PMID: 38054039 PMCID: PMC10694360 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1292033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The space radiation (IR) environment contains high charge and energy (HZE) nuclei emitted from galactic cosmic rays with the ability to overcome current shielding strategies, posing increased IR-induced cardiovascular disease risks for astronauts on prolonged space missions. Little is known about the effect of 5-ion simplified galactic cosmic ray simulation (simGCRsim) exposure on left ventricular (LV) function. Three-month-old, age-matched male Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) null mice were irradiated with 137Cs gamma (γ; 100, 200, and 400 cGy) and simGCRsim (50, 100, 150 cGy all at 500 MeV/nucleon (n)). LV function was assessed using transthoracic echocardiography at early/acute (14 and 28 days) and late/degenerative (365, 440, and 660 days) times post-irradiation. As early as 14 and 28-days post IR, LV systolic function was reduced in both IR groups across all doses. At 14 days post-IR, 150 cGy simGCRsim-IR mice had decreased diastolic wall strain (DWS), suggesting increased myocardial stiffness. This was also observed later in 100 cGy γ-IR mice at 28 days. At later stages, a significant decrease in LV systolic function was observed in the 400 cGy γ-IR mice. Otherwise, there was no difference in the LV systolic function or structure at the remaining time points across the IR groups. We evaluated the expression of genes involved in hemodynamic stress, cardiac remodeling, inflammation, and calcium handling in LVs harvested 28 days post-IR. At 28 days post-IR, there is increased expression of Bnp and Ncx in both IR groups at the lowest doses, suggesting impaired function contributes to hemodynamic stress and altered calcium handling. The expression of Gals3 and β-Mhc were increased in simGCRsim and γ-IR mice respectively, suggesting there may be IR-specific cardiac remodeling. IR groups were modeled to calculate the Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) and Radiation Effects Ratio (RER). No lower threshold was determined using the observed dose-response curves. These findings do not exclude the possibility of the existence of a lower IR threshold or the presence of IR-induced cardiovascular disease (CVD) when combined with additional space travel stressors, e.g., microgravity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Brojakowska
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | | | | | - Vineeta Jagana
- New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, United States
| | - Abrisham Eskandari
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cynthia Grano
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Steve R. Blattnig
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA, United States
| | - Shihong Zhang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kenneth M. Fish
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Vadim Chepurko
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Elena Chepurko
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Virginia Gillespie
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ying Dai
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Amit Kumar Rai
- Aging and Cardiovascular Discovery Center, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Lahouaria Hadri
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Center of Excellence for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology/Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Raj Kishore
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Center for Translational Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - David A. Goukassian
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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Krittanawong C, Isath A, Kaplin S, Virk HUH, Fogg S, Wang Z, Shepanek M, Scheuring RA, Lavie CJ. Cardiovascular disease in space: A systematic review. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 2023; 81:33-41. [PMID: 37531984 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcad.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With expanding commercial space programs, uncertainty remains about the cardiovascular effects of space environmental exposures including microgravity, confinement, isolation, space radiation, and altered bacterial virulence. Current limited data suggests additional health threats compared to Earth. METHODS We systematically reviewed PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, EMBASE and Cochrane databases for prospective studies on spaceflight and cardiovascular outcomes. Search terms combined cardiovascular disease topics with spaceflight concepts. No date or language restrictions were imposed. RESULTS 35 studies representing 2696 space travelers met inclusion criteria. Studies were grouped into spaceflight associations with: atherosclerosis, mortality, cardiac function, orthostatic intolerance, and arrhythmias. Atherosclerosis evidence was limited, with animal studies linking space radiation to endothelial damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation. However, human data showed no significantly increased atherosclerotic disease in astronauts. Mortality studies demonstrated lower cardiovascular mortality in astronauts compared to the general population however there was conflicting data. Cardiac function studies revealed physiologic ventricular atrophy, increased arterial stiffness, and altered blood flow distribution attributed to microgravity exposure. Effects appeared transient and reversible post-flight. Orthostatic intolerance studies found astronauts experienced altered heart rate variability, baroreflex response, and blood pressure changes post-flight. Arrhythmia studies showed increased ventricular ectopy during spaceflight, but limited data on long term flights. CONCLUSIONS Environmental space hazards impact the cardiovascular system through multiple mechanisms. Microgravity causes cardiac atrophy and orthostatic intolerance while space radiation may potentially accelerate atherosclerosis. Further research is needed, especially regarding long-term spaceflights.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ameesh Isath
- Department of Cardiology, Westchester Medical Centre and New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Scott Kaplin
- Cardiology Division, NYU Langone Health and NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk
- Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, OH, USA
| | - Sonya Fogg
- Library and Learning Resource Center, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- Mayo Clinic Evidence-based Practice Center, Rochester, MN, USA; Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery; Division of Health Care Policy and Research, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Marc Shepanek
- Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer, NASA, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | | | - Carl J Lavie
- John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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7
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Grigoryan EN. Impact of Microgravity and Other Spaceflight Factors on Retina of Vertebrates and Humans In Vivo and In Vitro. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1263. [PMID: 37374046 DOI: 10.3390/life13061263] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Spaceflight (SF) increases the risk of developmental, regenerative, and physiological disorders in animals and humans. Astronauts, besides bone loss, muscle atrophy, and cardiovascular and immune system alterations, undergo ocular disorders affecting posterior eye tissues, including the retina. Few studies revealed abnormalities in the development and changes in the regeneration of eye tissues in lower vertebrates after SF and simulated microgravity. Under microgravity conditions, mammals show disturbances in the retinal vascular system and increased risk of oxidative stress that can lead to cell death in the retina. Animal studies provided evidence of gene expression changes associated with cellular stress, inflammation, and aberrant signaling pathways. Experiments using retinal cells in microgravity-modeling systems in vitro additionally indicated micro-g-induced changes at the molecular level. Here, we provide an overview of the literature and the authors' own data to assess the predictive value of structural and functional alterations for developing countermeasures and mitigating the SF effects on the human retina. Further emphasis is given to the importance of animal studies on the retina and other eye tissues in vivo and retinal cells in vitro aboard spacecraft for understanding alterations in the vertebrate visual system in response to stress caused by gravity variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora N Grigoryan
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia
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8
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Popova OV, Rusanov VB. Is space flight arrhythmogenic? Front Physiol 2023; 14:1162355. [PMID: 37250132 PMCID: PMC10213435 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1162355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
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Nemec-Bakk AS, Sridharan V, Seawright JW, Nelson GA, Cao M, Singh P, Cheema AK, Singh B, Li Y, Koturbash I, Miousse IR, Ewing LE, Skinner CM, Landes RD, Lowery JD, Mao XW, Singh SP, Boerma M. Effects of proton and oxygen ion irradiation on cardiovascular function and structure in a rabbit model. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2023; 37:78-87. [PMID: 37087182 PMCID: PMC10122719 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Astronauts on missions beyond low Earth orbit will be exposed to galactic cosmic radiation, and there is concern about potential adverse cardiovascular effects. Most of the research to identify cardiovascular risk of space radiation has been performed in rodent models. To aid in the translation of research results to humans, the current study identified long-term effects of high-energy charged particle irradiation on cardiovascular function and structure in a larger non-rodent animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS At the age of 12 months, male New Zealand white rabbits were exposed to whole-body protons (250 MeV) or oxygen ions (16O, 600 MeV/n) at a dose of 0 or 0.5 Gy and were followed for 12 months after irradiation. Ultrasonography was used to measure in vivo cardiac function and blood flow parameters at 10- and 12-months post-irradiation. At 12 months after irradiation, blood cell counts and blood chemistry values were assessed, and cardiac tissue and aorta were collected for histological as well as molecular and biochemical analyses. Plasma was used for metabolomic analysis and to quantify common markers of cardiac injury. RESULTS A small but significant decrease in the percentage of circulating lymphocytes and an increase in neutrophil percentage was seen 12 months after 0.5 Gy protons, while 16O exposure resulted in an increase in monocyte percentage. Markers of cardiac injury, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and N-Terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide were modestly increased in the proton group, and cTnI was also increased after 16O. On the other hand, metabolomics on plasma at 12 months revealed no changes. Both types of irradiation demonstrated alterations in cardiac mitochondrial morphology and an increase in left ventricular protein levels of inflammatory cell marker CD68. However, changes in cardiac function were only mild. CONCLUSION Low dose charged particle irradiation caused mild long-term changes in inflammatory markers, cardiac function, and structure in the rabbit heart, in line with previous studies in mouse and rat models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley S Nemec-Bakk
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | | | - Gregory A Nelson
- Departments of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Maohua Cao
- College of Dentistry, Texas A&M, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Amrita K Cheema
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Bhaldev Singh
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yaoxiang Li
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Igor Koturbash
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Isabelle R Miousse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Laura E Ewing
- Natural State Laboratories and Natural State Genomics, North Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Charles M Skinner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - John D Lowery
- Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Xiao-Wen Mao
- Departments of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Sharda P Singh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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Nemec-Bakk AS, Sridharan V, Desai P, Landes RD, Hart B, Allen AR, Boerma M. Effects of Simulated 5-Ion Galactic Cosmic Radiation on Function and Structure of the Mouse Heart. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030795. [PMID: 36983950 PMCID: PMC10057791 DOI: 10.3390/life13030795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Missions into deep space will expose astronauts to the harsh space environment, and the degenerative tissue effects of space radiation are largely unknown. To assess the risks, in this study, male BALB/c mice were exposed to 500 mGy 5-ion simulated GCR (GCRsim) at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. In addition, male and female CD1 mice were exposed to GCRsim and administered a diet containing Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β)RI kinase (ALK5) inhibitor IPW-5371 as a potential countermeasure. An ultrasound was performed to investigate cardiac function. Cardiac tissue was collected to determine collagen deposition, the density of the capillary network, and the expression of the immune mediator toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and immune cell markers CD2, CD4, and CD45. In male BALB/c mice, the only significant effects of GCRsim were an increase in the CD2 and TLR4 markers. In male CD1 mice, GCRsim caused a significant increase in total collagens and a decrease in the expression of TLR4, both of which were mitigated by the TGF-β inhibitor diet. In female CD1 mice, GCRsim caused an increase in the number of capillaries per tissue area in the ventricles, which may be explained by the decrease in the left ventricular mass. However, this increase was not mitigated by TGF-β inhibition. In both male and female CD1 mice, the combination of GCRsim and TGF-β inhibition caused changes in left ventricular immune cell markers that were not seen with GCRsim alone. These data suggest that GCRsim results in minor changes to cardiac tissue in both an inbred and outbred mouse strain. While there were few GCRsim effects to be mitigated, results from the combination of GCRsim and the TGF-β inhibitor do point to a role for TGF-β in maintaining markers of immune cells in the heart after exposure to GCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley S. Nemec-Bakk
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Parth Desai
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Reid D. Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Barry Hart
- Innovation Pathways, LLC of Palo Alto, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
| | - Antiño R. Allen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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11
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Brojakowska A, Jackson CJ, Bisserier M, Khlgatian MK, Grano C, Blattnig SR, Zhang S, Fish KM, Chepurko V, Chepurko E, Gillespie V, Dai Y, Lee B, Garikipati VNS, Hadri L, Kishore R, Goukassian DA. Lifetime Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Male C57BL/6J Mice after Gamma and Space-Type Radiation Exposure. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5451. [PMID: 36982525 PMCID: PMC10049327 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065451] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The lifetime effects of space irradiation (IR) on left ventricular (LV) function are unknown. The cardiac effects induced by space-type IR, specifically 5-ion simplified galactic cosmic ray simulation (simGCRsim), are yet to be discovered. Three-month-old, age-matched, male C57BL/6J mice were irradiated with 137Cs gamma (γ; 100, 200 cGy) and simGCRsim (50 and 100 cGy). LV function was assessed via transthoracic echocardiography at 14 and 28 days (early), and at 365, 440, and 660 (late) days post IR. We measured the endothelial function marker brain natriuretic peptide in plasma at three late timepoints. We assessed the mRNA expression of the genes involved in cardiac remodeling, fibrosis, inflammation, and calcium handling in LVs harvested at 660 days post IR. All IR groups had impaired global LV systolic function at 14, 28, and 365 days. At 660 days, 50 cGy simGCRsim-IR mice exhibited preserved LV systolic function with altered LV size and mass. At this timepoint, the simGCRsim-IR mice had elevated levels of cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and hypertrophy markers Tgfβ1, Mcp1, Mmp9, and βmhc, suggesting that space-type IR may induce the cardiac remodeling processes that are commonly associated with diastolic dysfunction. IR groups showing statistical significance were modeled to calculate the Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) and Radiation Effects Ratio (RER). The observed dose-response shape did not indicate a lower threshold at these IR doses. A single full-body IR at doses of 100-200 cGy for γ-IR, and 50-100 cGy for simGCRsim-IR decreases the global LV systolic function in WT mice as early as 14 and 28 days after exposure, and at 660 days post IR. Interestingly, there is an intermediate time point (365 days) where the impairment in LV function is observed. These findings do not exclude the possibility of increased acute or degenerative cardiovascular disease risks at lower doses of space-type IR, and/or when combined with other space travel-associated stressors such as microgravity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Brojakowska
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | - Malik Bisserier
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
| | - Mary K. Khlgatian
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Cynthia Grano
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Steve R. Blattnig
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA 23669, USA
| | - Shihong Zhang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kenneth M. Fish
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Vadim Chepurko
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Elena Chepurko
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Virginia Gillespie
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ying Dai
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Brooke Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Dorothy M. Davis Heart Lung and Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Venkata Naga Srikanth Garikipati
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Dorothy M. Davis Heart Lung and Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lahouaria Hadri
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Center of Excellence for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Raj Kishore
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Center for Translational Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - David A. Goukassian
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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12
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Krittanawong C, Singh NK, Scheuring RA, Urquieta E, Bershad EM, Macaulay TR, Kaplin S, Dunn C, Kry SF, Russomano T, Shepanek M, Stowe RP, Kirkpatrick AW, Broderick TJ, Sibonga JD, Lee AG, Crucian BE. Human Health during Space Travel: State-of-the-Art Review. Cells 2022; 12:cells12010040. [PMID: 36611835 PMCID: PMC9818606 DOI: 10.3390/cells12010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of human space travel is in the midst of a dramatic revolution. Upcoming missions are looking to push the boundaries of space travel, with plans to travel for longer distances and durations than ever before. Both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and several commercial space companies (e.g., Blue Origin, SpaceX, Virgin Galactic) have already started the process of preparing for long-distance, long-duration space exploration and currently plan to explore inner solar planets (e.g., Mars) by the 2030s. With the emergence of space tourism, space travel has materialized as a potential new, exciting frontier of business, hospitality, medicine, and technology in the coming years. However, current evidence regarding human health in space is very limited, particularly pertaining to short-term and long-term space travel. This review synthesizes developments across the continuum of space health including prior studies and unpublished data from NASA related to each individual organ system, and medical screening prior to space travel. We categorized the extraterrestrial environment into exogenous (e.g., space radiation and microgravity) and endogenous processes (e.g., alteration of humans' natural circadian rhythm and mental health due to confinement, isolation, immobilization, and lack of social interaction) and their various effects on human health. The aim of this review is to explore the potential health challenges associated with space travel and how they may be overcome in order to enable new paradigms for space health, as well as the use of emerging Artificial Intelligence based (AI) technology to propel future space health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayakrit Krittanawong
- Department of Medicine and Center for Space Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Translational Research Institute for Space Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence: or (C.K.); (B.E.C.); Tel.: +1-713-798-4951 (C.K.); +1-281-483-0123 (B.E.C.)
| | - Nitin Kumar Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | | | - Emmanuel Urquieta
- Translational Research Institute for Space Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric M. Bershad
- Department of Neurology, Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Scott Kaplin
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Carly Dunn
- Department of Dermatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Stephen F. Kry
- Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Marc Shepanek
- Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer, NASA, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | | | - Andrew W. Kirkpatrick
- Department of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | - Jean D. Sibonga
- Division of Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences, NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Andrew G. Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Texas A and M College of Medicine, College Station, TX 77807, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Brian E. Crucian
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Human Health and Performance Directorate, Houston, TX 77058, USA
- Correspondence: or (C.K.); (B.E.C.); Tel.: +1-713-798-4951 (C.K.); +1-281-483-0123 (B.E.C.)
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13
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More efficient induction of genotoxicity by high-LET Fe-particle radiation than low-LET X-ray radiation at low doses. RADIATION MEDICINE AND PROTECTION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmp.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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14
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Walls GM, O'Kane R, Ghita M, Kuburas R, McGarry CK, Cole AJ, Jain S, Butterworth KT. Murine models of radiation cardiotoxicity: A systematic review and recommendations for future studies. Radiother Oncol 2022; 173:19-31. [PMID: 35533784 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2022.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The effects of radiation on the heart are dependent on dose, fractionation, overall treatment time, and pre-existing cardiovascular pathology. Murine models have played a central role in improving our understanding of the radiation response of the heart yet a wide range of exposure parameters have been used. We evaluated the study design of published murine cardiac irradiation experiments to assess gaps in the literature and to suggest guidance for the harmonisation of future study reporting. METHODS AND MATERIALS A systematic review of mouse/rat studies published 1981-2021 that examined the effect of radiation on the heart was performed. The protocol was published on PROSPERO (CRD42021238921) and the findings were reported in accordance with the PRISMA guidance. Risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE checklist. RESULTS 159 relevant full-text original articles were reviewed. The heart only was the target volume in 67% of the studies and simulation details were unavailable for 44% studies. Dosimetry methods were reported in 31% studies. The pulmonary effects of whole and partial heart irradiation were reported in 13% studies. Seventy-eight unique dose-fractionation schedules were evaluated. Large heterogeneity was observed in the endpoints measured, and the reporting standards were highly variable. CONCLUSIONS Current murine models of radiation cardiotoxicity cover a wide range of irradiation configurations and latency periods. There is a lack of evidence describing clinically relevant dose-fractionations, circulating biomarkers and radioprotectants. Recommendations for the consistent reporting of methods and results of in vivo cardiac irradiation studies are made to increase their suitability for informing the design of clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard M Walls
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
| | - Reagan O'Kane
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Mihaela Ghita
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Refik Kuburas
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Conor K McGarry
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Aidan J Cole
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Suneil Jain
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Karl T Butterworth
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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15
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Tanno B, Novelli F, Leonardi S, Merla C, Babini G, Giardullo P, Kadhim M, Traynor D, Medipally DKR, Meade AD, Lyng FM, Tapio S, Marchetti L, Saran A, Pazzaglia S, Mancuso M. MiRNA-Mediated Fibrosis in the Out-of-Target Heart following Partial-Body Irradiation. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143463. [PMID: 35884524 PMCID: PMC9323333 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent reports have shown a link between radiation exposure and non-cancer diseases such as radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD). Radiation exposures are often inhomogeneous, and out-of-target effects have been studied in terms of cancer risk, but very few studies have been carried out for non-cancer diseases. Here, the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of RIHD was investigated. C57Bl/6J female mice were whole- (WBI) or partial-body-irradiated (PBI) with 2 Gy of X-rays or sham-irradiated (SI). In PBI exposure, the lower third of the mouse body was irradiated, while the upper two-thirds were shielded. From all groups, hearts were collected 15 days or 6 months post-irradiation. The MiRNome analysis at 15 days post-irradiation showed that miRNAs, belonging to the myomiR family, were highly differentially expressed in WBI and PBI mouse hearts compared with SI hearts. Raman spectral data collected 15 days and 6 months post-irradiation showed biochemical differences among SI, WBI and PBI mouse hearts. Fibrosis in WBI and PBI mouse hearts, indicated by the increased deposition of collagen and the overexpression of genes involved in myofibroblast activation, was found 6 months post-irradiation. Using an in vitro co-culture system, involving directly irradiated skeletal muscle and unirradiated ventricular cardiac human cells, we propose the role of miR-1/133a as mediators of the abscopal response, suggesting that miRNA-based strategies could be relevant for limiting tissue-dependent reactions in non-directly irradiated tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tanno
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
- Correspondence: (B.T.); (M.M.)
| | - Flavia Novelli
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Simona Leonardi
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Caterina Merla
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Gabriele Babini
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Paola Giardullo
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Munira Kadhim
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University (OBU), Oxford OX3 0BP, UK;
| | - Damien Traynor
- Radiation and Environmental Science Centre, Technological University Dublin, D02 HW71 Dublin, Ireland; (D.T.); (D.K.R.M.); (A.D.M.); (F.M.L.)
| | - Dinesh K. R. Medipally
- Radiation and Environmental Science Centre, Technological University Dublin, D02 HW71 Dublin, Ireland; (D.T.); (D.K.R.M.); (A.D.M.); (F.M.L.)
| | - Aidan D. Meade
- Radiation and Environmental Science Centre, Technological University Dublin, D02 HW71 Dublin, Ireland; (D.T.); (D.K.R.M.); (A.D.M.); (F.M.L.)
| | - Fiona M. Lyng
- Radiation and Environmental Science Centre, Technological University Dublin, D02 HW71 Dublin, Ireland; (D.T.); (D.K.R.M.); (A.D.M.); (F.M.L.)
| | - Soile Tapio
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH (HMGU), Institute of Radiation Biology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany;
| | - Luca Marchetti
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
- Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Università della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Anna Saran
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
- Department of Radiation Physics, Guglielmo Marconi University, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - Simonetta Pazzaglia
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Mariateresa Mancuso
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), 00123 Rome, Italy; (F.N.); (S.L.); (C.M.); (P.G.); (L.M.); (A.S.); (S.P.)
- Correspondence: (B.T.); (M.M.)
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16
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Huff JL, Plante I, Blattnig SR, Norman RB, Little MP, Khera A, Simonsen LC, Patel ZS. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Modeling for Astronauts: Making the Leap From Earth to Space. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:873597. [PMID: 35665268 PMCID: PMC9161032 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.873597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
NASA has recently completed several long-duration missions to the International Space Station and is solidifying plans to return to the Moon, with an eye toward Mars and beyond. As NASA pushes the boundaries of human space exploration, the hazards of spaceflight, including space radiation, levy an increasing burden on astronaut health and performance. The cardiovascular system may be especially vulnerable due to the combined impacts of space radiation exposure, lack of gravity, and other spaceflight hazards. On Earth, the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) following moderate to high radiation doses is well-established from clinical, environmental, and occupational exposures (largely from gamma- and x-rays). Less is known about CVD risks associated with high-energy charged ions found in space and increasingly used in radiotherapy applications on Earth, making this a critical area of investigation for occupational radiation protection. Assessing CVD risk is complicated by its multifactorial nature, where an individual's risk is strongly influenced by factors such as family history, blood pressure, and lipid profiles. These known risk factors provide the basis for development of a variety of clinical risk prediction models (CPMs) that inform the likelihood of medical outcomes over a defined period. These tools improve clinical decision-making, personalize care, and support primary prevention of CVD. They may also be useful for individualizing risk estimates for CVD following radiation exposure both in the clinic and in space. In this review, we summarize unique aspects of radiation risk assessment for astronauts, and we evaluate the most widely used CVD CPMs for their use in NASA radiation risk assessment applications. We describe a comprehensive dual-use risk assessment framework that supports both clinical care and operational management of space radiation health risks using quantitative metrics. This approach is a first step in using personalized medicine for radiation risk assessment to support safe and productive spaceflight and long-term quality of life for NASA astronauts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice L. Huff
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
- *Correspondence: Janice L. Huff
| | - Ianik Plante
- KBR, Houston, TX, United States
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Steve R. Blattnig
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
| | - Ryan B. Norman
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
| | - Mark P. Little
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Amit Khera
- Division of Cardiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Lisa C. Simonsen
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Zarana S. Patel
- KBR, Houston, TX, United States
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
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17
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Bishawi M, Lee FH, Abraham DM, Glass C, Blocker SJ, Cox DJ, Brown ZD, Rockman HA, Mao L, Slaba TC, Dewhirst MW, Truskey GA, Bowles DE. Late onset cardiovascular dysfunction in adult mice resulting from galactic cosmic ray exposure. iScience 2022; 25:104086. [PMID: 35378858 PMCID: PMC8976132 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex and inaccessible space radiation environment poses an unresolved risk to astronaut cardiovascular health during long-term space exploration missions. To model this risk, healthy male c57BL/6 mice aged six months (corresponding to an astronaut of 34 years) were exposed to simplified galactic cosmic ray (GCR5-ion; 5-ion sim) irradiation at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratories (BNL). Multi-modal cardiovascular functional assessments performed longitudinally and terminally revealed significant impairment in cardiac function in mice exposed to GCR5-ion compared to unirradiated controls, gamma irradiation, or single mono-energetic ions (56Fe or 16O). GCR5-ion-treated mice exhibited increased arterial elastance likely mediated by disruption of elastin fibers. This study suggests that a single exposure to GCR5-ion is associated with deterioration in cardiac structure and function that becomes apparent long after exposure, likely associated with increased morbidity and mortality. These findings represent important health considerations when preparing for successful space exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muath Bishawi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, MRSB1 Rm. 421b, 203 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Franklin H. Lee
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, MRSB1 Rm. 421b, 203 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Dennis M. Abraham
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Carolyn Glass
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Daniel J. Cox
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, MRSB1 Rm. 421b, 203 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Zachary D. Brown
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, MRSB1 Rm. 421b, 203 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Howard A. Rockman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lan Mao
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Tony C. Slaba
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681, USA
| | - Mark W. Dewhirst
- Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - George A. Truskey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Dawn E. Bowles
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, MRSB1 Rm. 421b, 203 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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18
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Enhanced Effects of Chronic Restraint-Induced Psychological Stress on Total Body Fe-Irradiation-Induced Hematopoietic Toxicity in Trp53-Heterozygous Mice. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12040565. [PMID: 35455056 PMCID: PMC9025703 DOI: 10.3390/life12040565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are exposed to both psychological stress (PS) and radiation in some scenarios such as manned deep-space missions. It is of great concern to verify possible enhanced deleterious effects from such concurrent exposure. Pioneer studies showed that chronic restraint-induced PS (CRIPS) could attenuate Trp53 functions and increase gamma-ray-induced carcinogenesis in Trp53-heterozygous mice while CRIPS did not significantly modify the effects on X-ray-induced hematopoietic toxicity in Trp53 wild-type mice. As high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation is the most important component of space radiation in causing biological effects, we further investigated the effects of CRIPS on high-LET iron-particle radiation (Fe)-induced hematopoietic toxicity in Trp53-heterozygous mice. The results showed that CRIPS alone could hardly induce significant alteration in hematological parameters (peripheral hemogram and micronucleated erythrocytes in bone marrow) while concurrent exposure caused elevated genotoxicity measured as micronucleus incidence in erythrocytes. Particularly, exposure to either CRISP or Fe-particle radiation at a low dose (0.1 Gy) did not induce a marked increase in the micronucleus incidence; however, concurrent exposure caused a significantly higher increase in the micronucleus incidence. These findings indicated that CRIPS could enhance the deleterious effects of high-LET radiation, particularly at a low dose, on the hematopoietic toxicity in Trp53-heterozygous mice.
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19
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Abstract
The direct (eg, radiation, microgravity) and indirect (eg, lifestyle perturbations) effects of spaceflight extend across multiple systems resulting in whole-organism cardiovascular deconditioning. For over 50 years, National Aeronautics and Space Administration has continually enhanced a countermeasures program designed to characterize and offset the adverse cardiovascular consequences of spaceflight. In this review, we provide a historical overview of research evaluating the effects of spaceflight on cardiovascular health in astronauts and outline mechanisms underpinning spaceflight-related cardiovascular alterations. We also discuss how spaceflight could be leveraged for aging, industry, and model systems such as human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, organoid, and organ-on-a-chip technologies. Finally, we outline the increasing opportunities for scientists and clinicians to engage in cardiovascular research in space and on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Scott
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (J.M.S.).,Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (J.M.S.)
| | | | - Lianne Dolan
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada (L.D.)
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20
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Nemec-Bakk AS, Sridharan V, Landes RD, Singh P, Cao M, Dominic P, Seawright JW, Chancellor JC, Boerma M. Effects of low-dose oxygen ions on cardiac function and structure in female C57BL/6J mice. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2022; 32:105-112. [PMID: 35065756 PMCID: PMC8803400 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Astronauts in space vehicles beyond low-Earth orbit will be exposed to high charge and energy (HZE) ions, and there is concern about potential adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Thus far, most animal studies that assess cardiac effects of HZE particles have included only males. This study assessed the effects of oxygen ions (16O) as a representative ion of the intravehicular radiation environment on the heart of female mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Female C57BL/6 J mice at 6 months of age were exposed to 16O (600 MeV/n) at 0.25-0.26 Gy/min to a total dose of 0, 0.1, or 0.25 Gy. Cardiac function and abdominal aorta blood velocity were measured with ultrasonography at 3, 5, 7, and 9 months after irradiation. At 2 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months, cardiac tissue was collected to assess collagen deposition and markers of immune cells. RESULTS Ultrasonography revealed increased left ventricle mass, diastolic volume and diameter but there was no change in the abdominal aorta. There was no indication of cardiac fibrosis however, a 75 kDa peptide of left ventricular collagen type III and α-smooth muscle cell actin were increased suggesting some remodeling had occurred. Left ventricular protein levels of the T-cell marker CD2 was significantly increased at all time points, while the neutrophil marker myeloperoxidase was decreased at 2 weeks and 9 months. CONCLUSIONS These results taken together suggest 16O ion exposure did not result in cardiac fibrosis or cardiac dysfunction in female mice. However, it does appear mild cardiac remodeling occurs in response to HZE radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley S Nemec-Bakk
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Preeti Singh
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Maohua Cao
- College of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas TX, USA
| | - Paari Dominic
- Department of Medicine and Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular Diseases & Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | | | - Jeffery C Chancellor
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Department of Preventative Medicine & Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Outer Space Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CA, Canada
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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21
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Nemec-Bakk AS, Sridharan V, Landes RD, Singh P, Cao M, Seawright JW, Liu X, Zheng G, Dominic P, Pathak R, Boerma M. Mitigation of late cardiovascular effects of oxygen ion radiation by γ-tocotrienol in a mouse model. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2021; 31:43-50. [PMID: 34689949 PMCID: PMC8548672 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE While there is concern about degenerative tissue effects of exposure to space radiation during deep-space missions, there are no pharmacological countermeasures against these adverse effects. γ-Tocotrienol (GT3) is a natural form of vitamin E that has anti-oxidant properties, modifies cholesterol metabolism, and has anti-inflammatory and endothelial cell protective properties. The purpose of this study was to test whether GT3 could mitigate cardiovascular effects of oxygen ion (16O) irradiation in a mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to whole-body 16O (600 MeV/n) irradiation (0.26-0.33 Gy/min) at doses of 0 or 0.25 Gy at 6 months of age and were followed up to 9 months after irradiation. Animals were administered GT3 (50 mg/kg/day s.c.) or vehicle, on Monday - Friday starting on day 3 after irradiation for a total of 16 administrations. Ultrasonography was used to measure in vivo cardiac function and blood flow parameters. Cardiac tissue remodeling and inflammatory infiltration were assessed with histology and immunoblot analysis at 2 weeks, 3 and 9 months after radiation. RESULTS GT3 mitigated the effects of 16O radiation on cardiac function, the expression of a collagen type III peptide, and markers of mast cells, T-cells and monocytes/macrophages in the left ventricle. CONCLUSIONS GT3 may be a potential countermeasure against late degenerative tissue effects of high-linear energy transfer radiation in the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley S Nemec-Bakk
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Preeti Singh
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Maohua Cao
- College of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas TX, USA
| | | | - Xingui Liu
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Guangrong Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Paari Dominic
- Department of Medicine and Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular Diseases & Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Rupak Pathak
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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22
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Afshinnekoo E, Scott RT, MacKay MJ, Pariset E, Cekanaviciute E, Barker R, Gilroy S, Hassane D, Smith SM, Zwart SR, Nelman-Gonzalez M, Crucian BE, Ponomarev SA, Orlov OI, Shiba D, Muratani M, Yamamoto M, Richards SE, Vaishampayan PA, Meydan C, Foox J, Myrrhe J, Istasse E, Singh N, Venkateswaran K, Keune JA, Ray HE, Basner M, Miller J, Vitaterna MH, Taylor DM, Wallace D, Rubins K, Bailey SM, Grabham P, Costes SV, Mason CE, Beheshti A. Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration. Cell 2021; 183:1162-1184. [PMID: 33242416 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Research on astronaut health and model organisms have revealed six features of spaceflight biology that guide our current understanding of fundamental molecular changes that occur during space travel. The features include oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysregulation, epigenetic changes (including gene regulation), telomere length alterations, and microbiome shifts. Here we review the known hazards of human spaceflight, how spaceflight affects living systems through these six fundamental features, and the associated health risks of space exploration. We also discuss the essential issues related to the health and safety of astronauts involved in future missions, especially planned long-duration and Martian missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrahim Afshinnekoo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Ryan T Scott
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Matthew J MacKay
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Eloise Pariset
- Universities Space Research Association (USRA), Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Egle Cekanaviciute
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Richard Barker
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Simon Gilroy
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | | | - Scott M Smith
- Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Sara R Zwart
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Mayra Nelman-Gonzalez
- KBR, Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Brian E Crucian
- Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Sergey A Ponomarev
- Institute for the Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007 Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg I Orlov
- Institute for the Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dai Shiba
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan
| | - Masafumi Muratani
- Transborder Medical Research Center, and Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yamamoto
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Department of Integrative Genomics, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8573, Japan
| | - Stephanie E Richards
- Bionetics, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL 32899, USA
| | - Parag A Vaishampayan
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Cem Meydan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jonathan Foox
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jacqueline Myrrhe
- European Space Agency, Research and Payloads Group, Data Exploitation and Utilisation Strategy Office, 2200 AG Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Eric Istasse
- European Space Agency, Research and Payloads Group, Data Exploitation and Utilisation Strategy Office, 2200 AG Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Nitin Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Jessica A Keune
- Space Medicine Operations Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Hami E Ray
- ASRC Federal Space and Defense, Inc., Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Mathias Basner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jack Miller
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Martha Hotz Vitaterna
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Deanne M Taylor
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; The Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Douglas Wallace
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; The Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kathleen Rubins
- Astronaut Office, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
| | - Peter Grabham
- Center for Radiological Research, Department of Oncology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Sylvain V Costes
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, NY 10021, USA.
| | - Afshin Beheshti
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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23
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Meerman M, Bracco Gartner TCL, Buikema JW, Wu SM, Siddiqi S, Bouten CVC, Grande-Allen KJ, Suyker WJL, Hjortnaes J. Myocardial Disease and Long-Distance Space Travel: Solving the Radiation Problem. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:631985. [PMID: 33644136 PMCID: PMC7906998 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.631985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation-induced cardiovascular disease is a well-known complication of radiation exposure. Over the last few years, planning for deep space missions has increased interest in the effects of space radiation on the cardiovascular system, as an increasing number of astronauts will be exposed to space radiation for longer periods of time. Research has shown that exposure to different types of particles found in space radiation can lead to the development of diverse cardiovascular disease via fibrotic myocardial remodeling, accelerated atherosclerosis and microvascular damage. Several underlying mechanisms for radiation-induced cardiovascular disease have been identified, but many aspects of the pathophysiology remain unclear. Existing pharmacological compounds have been evaluated to protect the cardiovascular system from space radiation-induced damage, but currently no radioprotective compounds have been approved. This review critically analyzes the effects of space radiation on the cardiovascular system, the underlying mechanisms and potential countermeasures to space radiation-induced cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Meerman
- Division Heart and Lung, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Tom C L Bracco Gartner
- Division Heart and Lung, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jan Willem Buikema
- Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Sean M Wu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Sailay Siddiqi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Carlijn V C Bouten
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technical University Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | | | - Willem J L Suyker
- Division Heart and Lung, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jesper Hjortnaes
- Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Division Heart and Lung, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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24
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Tapio S, Little MP, Kaiser JC, Impens N, Hamada N, Georgakilas AG, Simar D, Salomaa S. Ionizing radiation-induced circulatory and metabolic diseases. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106235. [PMID: 33157375 PMCID: PMC10686049 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Risks to health are the prime consideration in all human situations of ionizing radiation exposure and therefore of relevance to radiation protection in all occupational, medical, and public exposure situations. Over the past few decades, advances in therapeutic strategies have led to significant improvements in cancer survival rates. However, a wide range of long-term complications have been reported in cancer survivors, in particular circulatory diseases and their major risk factors, metabolic diseases. However, at lower levels of exposure, the evidence is less clear. Under real-life exposure scenarios, including radiotherapy, radiation effects in the whole organism will be determined mainly by the response of normal tissues receiving relatively low doses, and will be mediated and moderated by systemic effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for further research on the impact of low-dose radiation. In this article, we review radiation-associated risks of circulatory and metabolic diseases in clinical, occupational or environmental exposure situations, addressing epidemiological, biological, risk modelling, and systems biology aspects, highlight the gaps in knowledge and discuss future directions to address these gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soile Tapio
- Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Mark P Little
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Jan Christian Kaiser
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Nathalie Impens
- Institute of Environment, Health and Safety, Biosphere Impact Studies, SCK•CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Radiation Safety Research Center, Nuclear Technology Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Alexandros G Georgakilas
- DNA Damage Laboratory, Department of Physics, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Athens, Greece
| | - David Simar
- Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sisko Salomaa
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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25
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Broxmeyer HE, Liu Y, Kapur R, Orschell CM, Aljoufi A, Ropa JP, Trinh T, Burns S, Capitano ML. Fate of Hematopoiesis During Aging. What Do We Really Know, and What are its Implications? Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 16:1020-1048. [PMID: 33145673 PMCID: PMC7609374 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-020-10065-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There is an ongoing shift in demographics such that older persons will outnumber young persons in the coming years, and with it age-associated tissue attrition and increased diseases and disorders. There has been increased information on the association of the aging process with dysregulation of hematopoietic stem (HSC) and progenitor (HPC) cells, and hematopoiesis. This review provides an extensive up-to date summary on the literature of aged hematopoiesis and HSCs placed in context of potential artifacts of the collection and processing procedure, that may not be totally representative of the status of HSCs in their in vivo bone marrow microenvironment, and what the implications of this are for understanding aged hematopoiesis. This review covers a number of interactive areas, many of which have not been adequately explored. There are still many unknowns and mechanistic insights to be elucidated to better understand effects of aging on the hematopoietic system, efforts that will take multidisciplinary approaches, and that could lead to means to ameliorate at least some of the dysregulation of HSCs and HPCs associated with the aging process. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hal E Broxmeyer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 West Walnut Street, R2-302, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5181, USA.
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Reuben Kapur
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Christie M Orschell
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Arafat Aljoufi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 West Walnut Street, R2-302, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5181, USA
| | - James P Ropa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 West Walnut Street, R2-302, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5181, USA
| | - Thao Trinh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 West Walnut Street, R2-302, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5181, USA
| | - Sarah Burns
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Maegan L Capitano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 West Walnut Street, R2-302, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5181, USA.
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26
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Yamanouchi S, Rhone J, Mao JH, Fujiwara K, Saganti PB, Takahashi A, Hada M. Simultaneous Exposure of Cultured Human Lymphoblastic Cells to Simulated Microgravity and Radiation Increases Chromosome Aberrations. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E187. [PMID: 32927618 PMCID: PMC7555395 DOI: 10.3390/life10090187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During space travel, humans are continuously exposed to two major environmental stresses, microgravity (μG) and space radiation. One of the fundamental questions is whether the two stressors are interactive. For over half a century, many studies were carried out in space, as well as using devices that simulated μG on the ground to investigate gravity effects on cells and organisms, and we have gained insights into how living organisms respond to μG. However, our knowledge on how to assess and manage human health risks in long-term mission to the Moon or Mars is drastically limited. For example, little information is available on how cells respond to simultaneous exposure to space radiation and μG. In this study, we analyzed the frequencies of chromosome aberrations (CA) in cultured human lymphoblastic TK6 cells exposed to X-ray or carbon ion under the simulated μG conditions. A higher frequency of both simple and complex types of CA were observed in cells exposed to radiation and μG simultaneously compared to CA frequency in cells exposed to radiation only. Our study shows that the dose response data on space radiation obtained at the 1G condition could lead to the underestimation of astronauts' potential risk for health deterioration, including cancer. This study also emphasizes the importance of obtaining data on the molecular and cellular responses to irradiation under μG conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakuya Yamanouchi
- Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan;
| | - Jordan Rhone
- Radiation Institute for Science & Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA; (J.R.); (P.B.S.)
| | - Jian-Hua Mao
- Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA;
| | - Keigi Fujiwara
- Department of Cardiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Premkumar B. Saganti
- Radiation Institute for Science & Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA; (J.R.); (P.B.S.)
| | - Akihisa Takahashi
- Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan;
| | - Megumi Hada
- Radiation Institute for Science & Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA; (J.R.); (P.B.S.)
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27
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Giovanetti A, Tortolici F, Rufini S. Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? Front Physiol 2020; 11:955. [PMID: 32903447 PMCID: PMC7434975 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing duration of space missions involves a progressively higher exposure of astronauts to cosmic rays, whose most hazardous component is made up of High-Atomic number and High-Energy (HZE) ions. HZE ions interact along their tracks with biological molecules inducing changes on living material qualitatively different from that observed after irradiation for therapeutic purposes or following nuclear accidents. HZE ions trigger in cells different responses initialized by DNA damage and mitochondria dysregulation, which cause a prolonged state of sterile inflammation in the tissues. These cellular phenomena may explain why spending time in space was found to cause the onset of a series of diseases normally related to aging. These changes that mimic aging but take place more quickly make space flights also an opportunity to study the mechanisms underlying aging. In this short review, we describe the biological mechanisms underlying cell senescence and aging; the peculiar characteristics of HZE ions, their interaction with living matter and the effects on the organism; the key role of mitochondria in HZE ion-induced health effects and aging-related phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Giovanetti
- ENEA, Department of Energy and Sustainable Economic, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Tortolici
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Rufini
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Sridharan V, Seawright JW, Landes RD, Cao M, Singh P, Davis CM, Mao XW, Singh SP, Zhang X, Nelson GA, Boerma M. Effects of single-dose protons or oxygen ions on function and structure of the cardiovascular system in male Long Evans rats. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2020; 26:62-68. [PMID: 32718688 PMCID: PMC7387753 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Studies are required to determine whether exposures to radiation encountered during manned missions in deep space may have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Most of the prior studies on effects of simulated space radiation on the heart and vasculature have been performed in mouse models. To provide data from a second animal species, two studies were performed to assess effects of high-energy charged particle radiation on the heart and abdominal aorta in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS In study A, male Long Evans rats were exposed to whole-body protons (250 MeV, 0.5 Gy) or oxygen ions (16O, 600 MeV/n, 0.5 Gy), and ultrasonography was used to measure in vivo cardiac function and blood flow parameters at 3, 5, 9 and 12 months after radiation, followed by tissue collection at 12 months. In study B, male Long Evans rats were exposed to 16O (1 GeV/n, 0.01-0.25 Gy), and hearts collected at 6 to 7 and 12 months for histology and western-blots. RESULTS Both protons (250 MeV) and 16O (600 MeV/n) caused a decrease in left ventricular posterior wall thickness at 3-5 months, but did not change echocardiographic measures of cardiac function. In Pulsed-wave Doppler assessment of the abdominal aorta, an increase was seen in mean velocity, peak velocity, and velocity time integral at 12 months after 16O (600 MeV/n), suggesting a change in vascular function. There were no significant changes in histopathology or histological quantification of total collagens in heart or aorta. On the other hand, an increase was seen in a 75 kDa peptide of collagen type III in the left ventricle of rats exposed to protons (250 MeV) and 16O (600 MeV/n and 1 GeV/n), suggesting that radiation caused remodeling of existing collagens in the heart. 16O (600 MeV/n and 1 GeV/n) caused increases in left ventricular protein levels of immune cell markers CD2, CD4, CD8, and CD68. CONCLUSION A single low dose of whole body protons or 16O in male Long Evans rats did not change cardiac function or induce gross pathological changes in the heart or aorta, but induced mild changes in vascular function and remodeling of existing collagens in the heart. Altogether, studies in prior mouse models and the current work in rats indicate minor changes in cardiac function and structure after a low dose of single-ion radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock 72205, AR, USA
| | - John W Seawright
- McLennan Community College, Waco, TX, formerly at the Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock 72205, AR, USA
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock 72205, AR, USA
| | - Maohua Cao
- College of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX; formerly at the Division o f Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock 72205, AR, USA
| | - Preeti Singh
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock 72205, AR, USA
| | - Catherine M Davis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiao-Wen Mao
- Department of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Sharda P Singh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida at Gainesville, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Gregory A Nelson
- Department of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock 72205, AR, USA.
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Patel S. The effects of microgravity and space radiation on cardiovascular health: From low-Earth orbit and beyond. IJC HEART & VASCULATURE 2020; 30:100595. [PMID: 32775602 PMCID: PMC7399104 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2020.100595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The unique conditions of space harbor considerable challenges for astronauts to overcome. Namely, the ionizing content of space radiation and the effects of microgravity have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Post-flight carotid arterial stiffness was demonstrated in astronaut studies while early arteriosclerosis has been linked with microgravity-induced oxidative stress in cellular studies. Similarly, radiation has been shown to disrupt molecular pathways, enhance reactive oxygen species and increase risk of cardiovascular disease in exposed populations. These results may bear even more significance in space owing to the propensity for microgravity and space radiation to yield synergistic and/or additive interactions. Potential countermeasures such as α-tocopherol and captopril target these oxidative pathways and may help to protect against the effects of microgravity and radiation-induced cardiac damage. However, more research needs to be conducted in this area to facilitate a safe passage for humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smit Patel
- Vascular Biology, Cardiovascular Science, National Heart & Lung Institute (NHLI), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, UK
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Abstract
The effects of elevated levels of radiation contribute to the instability of pharmaceutical formulations in space compared to those on earth. Existing technologies are ineffective at maintaining the therapeutic efficacies of drugs in space. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel space-hardy formulations for preserving the stability and efficacy of drug formulations. This work aims to develop a novel approach for the protection of space pharmaceutical drug molecules from the radiation-induced damage to help extend or at least preserve their structural integrity and potency. To achieve this, free radical scavenging antioxidant, Trolox was conjugated on the surface of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles for the protection of a candidate drug, melatonin that is used as a sleep aid medication in International Space Station (ISS). Melatonin-PLGA-PLL-Trolox nanoparticle as named as PolyRad was synthesized employing single oil in water (o/w) emulsion solvent evaporation method. PolyRad is spherical in shape and has an average diameter of ~600 nm with a low polydispersity index of 0.2. PolyRad and free melatonin (control) were irradiated by UV light after being exposed to a strong oxidant, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Bare melatonin lost ~80% of the active structure of the drug following irradiation with UV light or treatment with H2O2. In contrast, PolyRad protected >80% of the active structure of melatonin. The ability of PolyRad to protect melatonin structure was also carried out using 0, 1, 5 and 10 Gy gamma radiation. Gamma irradiation showed >98% active structures of melatonin encapsulated in PolyRads. Drug release and effectiveness of melatonin using PolyRad were evaluated on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro. Non-irradiated PolyRad demonstrated maximum drug release of ~70% after 72 h, while UV-irradiated and H2O2-treated PolyRad showed a maximum drug release of ~85%. Cytotoxicity of melatonin was carried out using both live/dead and MTT assays. Melatonin, non-radiated PolyRad and irradiated PolyRad inhibited the viability of HUVEC in a dose-dependent manner. Cell viability of melatonin, PolyRad alone without melatonin (PolyRad carrier control), non-radiated PolyRad, and irradiated PolyRad were ~98, 87, 75 and 70%, respectively at a concentration \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$10\mu g/{ml}$$\end{document}10μg/ml). Taken together, PolyRad nanoparticle provides an attractive formulation platform for preventing damage to pharmaceutical drugs in potential space mission applications.
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Association between Radiation Exposure and Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation: Results from Clinical and Experimental Studies. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2020; 31:42-48. [PMID: 31831324 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2019.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
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Miousse IR, Skinner CM, Sridharan V, Seawright JW, Singh P, Landes RD, Cheema AK, Hauer-Jensen M, Boerma M, Koturbash I. Changes in one-carbon metabolism and DNA methylation in the hearts of mice exposed to space environment-relevant doses of oxygen ions ( 16O). LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2019; 22:8-15. [PMID: 31421852 PMCID: PMC6703167 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease constitutes an important threat to humans after space missions beyond the Earth's magnetosphere. Epigenetic alterations have an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Previous research in animal models has shown that protons and 56Fe ions cause long-term changes in DNA methylation and expression of repetitive elements in the heart. However, astronauts will be exposed to a variety of ions, including the smaller fragmented products of heavy ions after they interact with the walls of the space craft. Here, we investigated the effects of 16O on the cardiac methylome and one-carbon metabolism in male C57BL/6 J mice. Left ventricles were examined 14 and 90 days after exposure to space-relevant doses of 0.1, 0.25, or 1 Gy of 16O (600 MeV/n). At 14 days, the two higher radiation doses elicited global DNA hypomethylation in the 5'-UTR of Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements 1 (LINE-1) compared to unirradiated, sham-treated mice, whereas specific LINE-1 elements exhibited hypermethylation at day 90. The pericentromeric major satellites were affected both at the DNA methylation and expression levels at the lowest radiation dose. DNA methylation was elevated, particularly after 90 days, while expression showed first a decrease followed by an increase in transcript abundance. Metabolomics analysis revealed that metabolites involved in homocysteine remethylation, central to DNA methylation, were unaffected by radiation, but the transsulfuration pathway was impacted after 90 days, with a large increase in cystathione levels at the lowest dose. In summary, we observed dynamic changes in the cardiac epigenome and metabolome three months after exposure to a single low dose of oxygen ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle R Miousse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.
| | - Charles M Skinner
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - John W Seawright
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Preeti Singh
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Amrita K Cheema
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Departments of Oncology and Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Martin Hauer-Jensen
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Igor Koturbash
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
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Beheshti A, McDonald JT, Miller J, Grabham P, Costes SV. GeneLab Database Analyses Suggest Long-Term Impact of Space Radiation on the Cardiovascular System by the Activation of FYN Through Reactive Oxygen Species. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030661. [PMID: 30717456 PMCID: PMC6387434 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Space radiation has recently been considered a risk factor for astronauts’ cardiac health. As an example, for the case of how to query and identify datasets within NASA’s GeneLab database and demonstrate the database utility, we used an unbiased systems biology method for identifying key genes/drivers for the contribution of space radiation on the cardiovascular system. This knowledge can contribute to designing appropriate experiments targeting these specific pathways. Microarray data from cardiomyocytes of male C57BL/6 mice followed-up for 28 days after exposure to 900 mGy of 1 GeV proton or 150 mGy of 1 GeV/n 56Fe were compared to human endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured for 7 days on the International Space Station (ISS). We observed common molecular pathways between simulated space radiation and HUVECs flown on the ISS. The analysis suggests FYN is the central driver/hub for the cardiovascular response to space radiation: the known oxidative stress induced immediately following radiation would only be transient and would upregulate FYN, which in turn would reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, protecting the cardiovascular system. The transcriptomic signature of exposure to protons was also much closer to the spaceflight signature than 56Fe’s signature. To our knowledge, this is the first time GeneLab datasets were utilized to provide potential biological indications that the majority of ions on the ISS are protons, clearly illustrating the power of omics analysis. More generally, this work also demonstrates how to combine animal radiation studies done on the ground and spaceflight studies to evaluate human risk in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Beheshti
- WYLE Labs, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field CA 94035, USA.
| | - J Tyson McDonald
- Department of Physics, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668 USA.
| | - Jack Miller
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Peter Grabham
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Sylvain V Costes
- NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
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Seawright JW, Sridharan V, Landes RD, Cao M, Singh P, Koturbash I, Mao XW, Miousse IR, Singh SP, Nelson GA, Hauer-Jensen M, Boerma M. Effects of low-dose oxygen ions and protons on cardiac function and structure in male C57BL/6J mice. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2019; 20:72-84. [PMID: 30797436 PMCID: PMC6391741 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Astronauts traveling beyond low-Earth orbit will be exposed to high linear-energy transfer charged particles. Because there is concern about the adverse effects of space radiation on the cardiovascular system, this study assessed cardiac function and structure and immune cell infiltration in a mouse model of charged-particle irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to oxygen ions (16O, 600 MeV/n at 0.25-0.26 Gy/min to a total dose of 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, or 1 Gy), protons (150 MeV, 0.35-0.55 Gy/min to 0, 0.5, or 1 Gy), or protons (150 MeV, 0.5 Gy) followed by 16O (600 MeV/n, 0.1 Gy). Separate groups of mice received 137Cs γ-rays (1 Gy/min to 0, 0.5, 1, or 3 Gy) as a reference. Cardiac function and blood velocity were measured with ultrasonography at 3, 5, 7, and 9 months after irradiation. At 2 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months, cardiac tissue was collected to assess apoptosis, tissue remodeling, and markers of immune cells. RESULTS Ejection fraction and fractional shortening decreased at 3 and 7 months after 16O. These parameters did not change in mice exposed to γ-rays, protons, or protons followed by 16O. Each of the radiation exposures caused only small increases in cleaved caspase-3 and numbers of apoptotic nuclei. Changes in the levels of α-smooth muscle cell actin and a 75-kDa peptide of collagen type III in the left ventricle suggested tissue remodeling, but there was no significant change in total collagen deposition at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months. Increases in protein amounts of cluster of differentiation (CD)2, CD68, and CD45 as measured with immunoblots at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months after exposure to protons or 16O alone suggested immune cell infiltration. For type III collagen, CD2 and CD68, the efficacy in inducing protein abundance of CD2, CD68, and CD45 was 16O > protons > γ-rays > protons followed by 16O. CONCLUSIONS Low-dose, high-energy charged-particle irradiation caused mild changes in cardiac function and tissue remodeling in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Seawright
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Maohua Cao
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Preeti Singh
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Igor Koturbash
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Xiao-Wen Mao
- Department of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Isabelle R Miousse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Sharda P Singh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Gregory A Nelson
- Department of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Martin Hauer-Jensen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Slot 522-10, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
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Chatterjee S, Pietrofesa RA, Park K, Tao JQ, Carabe-Fernandez A, Berman AT, Koumenis C, Sielecki T, Christofidou-Solomidou M. LGM2605 Reduces Space Radiation-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Damage in In Vitro Lung Vascular Networks. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20010176. [PMID: 30621290 PMCID: PMC6337675 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Updated measurements of charged particle fluxes during the transit from Earth to Mars as well as on site measurements by Curiosity of Martian surface radiation fluxes identified potential health hazards associated with radiation exposure for human space missions. Designing mitigation strategies of radiation risks to astronauts is critical. We investigated radiation-induced endothelial cell damage and its mitigation by LGM2605, a radioprotector with antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. We used an in vitro model of lung vascular networks (flow-adapted endothelial cells; FAECs), exposed to gamma rays, low/higher linear energy transfer (LET) protons (3⁻4 or 8⁻10 keV/µm, respectively), and mixed field radiation sources (gamma and protons), given at mission-relevant doses (0.25 gray (Gy)⁻1 Gy). We evaluated endothelial inflammatory phenotype, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and oxidative cell injury. LGM2605 (100 µM) was added 30 min post radiation exposure and gene expression changes evaluated 24 h later. Radiation induced a robust increase in mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes post 0.25 Gy and 0.5 Gy gamma radiation, which was significantly decreased by LGM2605. Intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) induction by individual or mixed-field exposures were also significantly blunted by LGM2605. We conclude that LGM2605 is a likely candidate to reduce tissue damage from space-relevant radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shampa Chatterjee
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Ralph A Pietrofesa
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Kyewon Park
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Jian-Qin Tao
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Alejandro Carabe-Fernandez
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Abigail T Berman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Constantinos Koumenis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | | | - Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Oxidative Stress as Cause, Consequence, or Biomarker of Altered Female Reproduction and Development in the Space Environment. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123729. [PMID: 30477143 PMCID: PMC6320872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous terrestrial disease processes and associated with morbidity following spaceflight. Furthermore, oxidative stress has long been considered a causative agent in adverse reproductive outcomes. The purpose of this review is to summarize the pathogenesis of oxidative stress caused by cosmic radiation and microgravity, review the relationship between oxidative stress and reproductive outcomes in females, and explore what role spaceflight-induced oxidative damage may have on female reproductive and developmental outcomes.
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Yang J, Zhang G, Dong D, Shang P. Effects of Iron Overload and Oxidative Damage on the Musculoskeletal System in the Space Environment: Data from Spaceflights and Ground-Based Simulation Models. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2608. [PMID: 30177626 PMCID: PMC6163331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The space environment chiefly includes microgravity and radiation, which seriously threatens the health of astronauts. Bone loss and muscle atrophy are the two most significant changes in mammals after long-term residency in space. In this review, we summarized current understanding of the effects of microgravity and radiation on the musculoskeletal system and discussed the corresponding mechanisms that are related to iron overload and oxidative damage. Furthermore, we enumerated some countermeasures that have a therapeutic potential for bone loss and muscle atrophy through using iron chelators and antioxidants. Future studies for better understanding the mechanism of iron and redox homeostasis imbalance induced by the space environment and developing the countermeasures against iron overload and oxidative damage consequently may facilitate human to travel more safely in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiancheng Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environment Biophysics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
| | - Gejing Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environment Biophysics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
| | - Dandan Dong
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environment Biophysics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
| | - Peng Shang
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environment Biophysics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
- Research & Development Institute in Shenzhen, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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Heselich A, Frieß JL, Ritter S, Benz NP, Layer PG, Thielemann C. High LET radiation shows no major cellular and functional effects on primary cardiomyocytes in vitro. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2018; 16:93-100. [PMID: 29475525 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that ionizing radiation causes adverse effects on various mammalian tissues. However, there is little information on the biological effects of heavy ion radiation on the heart. In order to fill this gap, we systematically examined DNA-damage induction and repair, as well as proliferation and apoptosis in avian cardiomyocyte cultures irradiated with heavy ions such as titanium and iron, relevant for manned space-flight, and carbon ions, as used for radiotherapy. Further, and to our knowledge for the first time, we analyzed the effect of heavy ion radiation on the electrophysiology of primary cardiomyocytes derived from chicken embryos using the non-invasive microelectrode array (MEA) technology. As electrophysiological endpoints beat rate and field action potential duration were analyzed. The cultures clearly exhibited the capacity to repair induced DNA damage almost completely within 24 h, even at doses of 7 Gy, and almost completely recovered from radiation-induced changes in proliferative behavior. Interestingly, no significant effects on apoptosis could be detected. Especially the functionality of primary cardiac cells exhibited a surprisingly high robustness against heavy ion radiation, even at doses of up to 7 Gy. In contrast to our previous study with X-rays the beat rate remained more or less unaffected after heavy ion radiation, independently of beam quality. The only change we could observe was an increase of the field action potential duration of up to 30% after titanium irradiation, diminishing within the following three days. This potentially pathological observation may be an indication that heavy ion irradiation at high doses could bear a long-term risk for cardiovascular disease induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Heselich
- University for Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg, biomems lab, Würzburger Straße 45, Aschaffenburg 63743, Germany; Technische Universität Darmstadt, Developmental Biology and Neurogenetics, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany; GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI), Biophysics Department, Planckstraße 1, Darmstadt 64291, Germany
| | - Johannes L Frieß
- University for Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg, biomems lab, Würzburger Straße 45, Aschaffenburg 63743, Germany
| | - Sylvia Ritter
- GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI), Biophysics Department, Planckstraße 1, Darmstadt 64291, Germany
| | - Naja P Benz
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Developmental Biology and Neurogenetics, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Paul G Layer
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Developmental Biology and Neurogenetics, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Christiane Thielemann
- University for Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg, biomems lab, Würzburger Straße 45, Aschaffenburg 63743, Germany.
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Sylvester CB, Abe JI, Patel ZS, Grande-Allen KJ. Radiation-Induced Cardiovascular Disease: Mechanisms and Importance of Linear Energy Transfer. Front Cardiovasc Med 2018; 5:5. [PMID: 29445728 PMCID: PMC5797745 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy (RT) in the form of photons and protons is a well-established treatment for cancer. More recently, heavy charged particles have been used to treat radioresistant and high-risk cancers. Radiation treatment is known to cause cardiovascular disease (CVD) which can occur acutely during treatment or years afterward in the form of accelerated atherosclerosis. Radiation-induced cardiovascular disease (RICVD) can be a limiting factor in treatment as well as a cause of morbidity and mortality in successfully treated patients. Inflammation plays a key role in both acute and chronic RICVD, but the underling pathophysiology is complex, involving DNA damage, reactive oxygen species, and chronic inflammation. While understanding of the molecular mechanisms of RICVD has increased, the growing number of patients receiving RT warrants further research to identify individuals at risk, plans for prevention, and targets for the treatment of RICVD. Research on RICVD is also relevant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) due to the prevalent space radiation environment encountered by astronauts. NASA's current research on RICVD can both contribute to and benefit from concurrent work with cell and animal studies informing radiotoxicities resulting from cancer therapy. This review summarizes the types of radiation currently in clinical use, models of RICVD, current knowledge of the mechanisms by which they cause CVD, and how this knowledge might apply to those exposed to various types of radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Sylvester
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jun-Ichi Abe
- Department of Cardiology, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Zarana S Patel
- Science and Space Operations, KBRwyle, Houston, TX, United States
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Proceedings of the National Cancer Institute Workshop on Charged Particle Radiobiology. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2017; 100:816-831. [PMID: 29485053 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2017.12.260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In April 2016, the National Cancer Institute hosted a multidisciplinary workshop to discuss the current knowledge of the radiobiological aspects of charged particles used in cancer therapy to identify gaps in that knowledge that might hinder the effective clinical use of charged particles and to propose research that could help fill those gaps. The workshop was organized into 10 topics ranging from biophysical models to clinical trials and included treatment optimization, relative biological effectiveness of tumors and normal tissues, hypofractionation with particles, combination with immunotherapy, "omics," hypoxia, and particle-induced second malignancies. Given that the most commonly used charged particle in the clinic currently is protons, much of the discussion revolved around evaluating the state of knowledge and current practice of using a relative biological effectiveness of 1.1 for protons. Discussion also included the potential advantages of heavier ions, notably carbon ions, because of their increased biological effectiveness, especially for tumors frequently considered to be radiation resistant, increased effectiveness in hypoxic cells, and potential for differentially altering immune responses. The participants identified a large number of research areas in which information is needed to inform the most effective use of charged particles in the future in clinical radiation therapy. This unique form of radiation therapy holds great promise for improving cancer treatment.
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Abstract
National space agencies and private corporations aim at an extended presence of humans in space in the medium to long term. Together with currently suboptimal technology, microgravity and cosmic rays raise health concerns about deep-space exploration missions. Both of these physical factors affect the cardiovascular system, whose gravity-dependence is pronounced. Heart and vascular function are, therefore, susceptible to substantial changes in weightlessness. The altered cardiovascular function in space causes physiological problems in the postflight period. A compromised cardiovascular system can be excessively vulnerable to space radiation, synergistically resulting in increased damage. The space radiation dose is significantly lower than in patients undergoing radiotherapy, in whom cardiac damage is well-documented following cancer therapy in the thoracic region. Nevertheless, epidemiological findings suggest an increased risk of late cardiovascular disease even with low doses of radiation. Moreover, the peculiar biological effectiveness of heavy ions in cosmic rays might increase this risk substantially. However, whether radiation-induced cardiovascular effects have a threshold at low doses is still unclear. The main countermeasures to mitigate the effect of the space environment on cardiac function are physical exercise, antioxidants, nutraceuticals, and radiation shielding.
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42
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Tahimic CGT, Globus RK. Redox Signaling and Its Impact on Skeletal and Vascular Responses to Spaceflight. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18102153. [PMID: 29035346 PMCID: PMC5666834 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18102153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Revised: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spaceflight entails exposure to numerous environmental challenges with the potential to contribute to both musculoskeletal and vascular dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to describe current understanding of microgravity and radiation impacts on the mammalian skeleton and associated vasculature at the level of the whole organism. Recent experiments from spaceflight and ground-based models have provided fresh insights into how these environmental stresses influence mechanisms that are related to redox signaling, oxidative stress, and tissue dysfunction. Emerging mechanistic knowledge on cellular defenses to radiation and other environmental stressors, including microgravity, are useful for both screening and developing interventions against spaceflight-induced deficits in bone and vascular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice G T Tahimic
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
- KBRWyle, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
| | - Ruth K Globus
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
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43
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Sasi SP, Yan X, Zuriaga-Herrero M, Gee H, Lee J, Mehrzad R, Song J, Onufrak J, Morgan J, Enderling H, Walsh K, Kishore R, Goukassian DA. Different Sequences of Fractionated Low-Dose Proton and Single Iron-Radiation-Induced Divergent Biological Responses in the Heart. Radiat Res 2017; 188:191-203. [PMID: 28613990 DOI: 10.1667/rr14667.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Deep-space travel presents risks of exposure to ionizing radiation composed of a spectrum of low-fluence protons (1H) and high-charge and energy (HZE) iron nuclei (e.g., 56Fe). When exposed to galactic cosmic rays, each cell in the body may be traversed by 1H every 3-4 days and HZE nuclei every 3-4 months. The effects of low-dose sequential fractionated 1H or HZE on the heart are unknown. In this animal model of simulated ionizing radiation, middle-aged (8-9 months old) male C57BL/6NT mice were exposed to radiation as follows: group 1, nonirradiated controls; group 2, three fractionated doses of 17 cGy 1H every other day (1H × 3); group 3, three fractionated doses of 17 cGy 1H every other day followed by a single low dose of 15 cGy 56Fe two days after the final 1H dose (1H × 3 + 56Fe); and group 4, a single low dose of 15 cGy 56Fe followed (after 2 days) by three fractionated doses of 17 cGy 1H every other day (56Fe + 1H × 3). A subgroup of mice from each group underwent myocardial infarction (MI) surgery at 28 days postirradiation. Cardiac structure and function were assessed in all animals at days 7, 14 and 28 after MI surgery was performed. Compared to the control animals, the treatments that groups 2 and 3 received did not induce negative effects on cardiac function or structure. However, compared to all other groups, the animals in group 4, showed depressed left ventricular (LV) functions at 1 month with concomitant enhancement in cardiac fibrosis and induction of cardiac hypertrophy signaling at 3 months. In the irradiated and MI surgery groups compared to the control group, the treatments received by groups 2 and 4 did not induce negative effects at 1 month postirradiation and MI surgery. However, in group 3 after MI surgery, there was a 24% increase in mortality, significant decreases in LV function and a 35% increase in post-infarction size. These changes were associated with significant decreases in the angiogenic and cell survival signaling pathways. These data suggest that fractionated doses of radiation induces cellular and molecular changes that result in depressed heart functions both under basal conditions and particularly after myocardial infarction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharath P Sasi
- a Cardiovascular Research Center, GeneSys Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xinhua Yan
- a Cardiovascular Research Center, GeneSys Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,b Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marian Zuriaga-Herrero
- f Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hannah Gee
- a Cardiovascular Research Center, GeneSys Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Juyong Lee
- c Calhoun Cardiology Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Raman Mehrzad
- d Steward Carney Hospital, Dorchester, Massachusetts
| | - Jin Song
- a Cardiovascular Research Center, GeneSys Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jillian Onufrak
- a Cardiovascular Research Center, GeneSys Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James Morgan
- b Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.,d Steward Carney Hospital, Dorchester, Massachusetts
| | - Heiko Enderling
- e Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Kenneth Walsh
- f Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Raj Kishore
- 7 Center for Translational Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - David A Goukassian
- a Cardiovascular Research Center, GeneSys Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,f Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.,7 Center for Translational Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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High Energy Particle Radiation-associated Oncogenic Transformation in Normal Mice: Insight into the Connection between Activation of Oncotargets and Oncogene Addiction. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37623. [PMID: 27876887 PMCID: PMC5120307 DOI: 10.1038/srep37623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Concerns on high-energy particle radiation-induced tumorigenic transformation of normal tissue in astronauts, and in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, emphasizes the significance of elucidating the mechanisms involved in radiogenic transformation processes. Mostly used genetically modified or tumor-prone models are less reliable in determining human health risk in space or protracted post-treatment normal tissue toxicity. Here, in wild type C57BL/6 mice, we related the deregulation of distinctive set of tissue-specific oncotargets in major organs upon 56Fe (600 MeV/amu; 0.5 Gy/min; 0.8 Gy) particle radiation and compared the response with low LET γ-radiation (137Cs; 0.5 Gy/min; 2 Gy). One of the novel findings is the ‘tissue-independent’ activation of TAL2 upon high-energy radiation, and thus qualifies TAL2 as a potential biomarker for particle and other qualities of radiation. Heightened expression of TAL2 gene transcript, which sustained over four weeks post-irradiation foster the concept of oncogene addiction signaling in radiogenic transformation. The positive/negative expression of other selected oncotargets that expresses tissue-dependent manner indicated their role as a secondary driving force that addresses the diversity of tissue-dependent characteristics of tumorigenesis. This study, while reporting novel findings on radiogenic transformation of normal tissue when exposed to particle radiation, it also provides a platform for further investigation into different radiation quality, LET and dose/dose rate effect in healthy organs.
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45
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Delp MD, Charvat JM, Limoli CL, Globus RK, Ghosh P. Apollo Lunar Astronauts Show Higher Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Possible Deep Space Radiation Effects on the Vascular Endothelium. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29901. [PMID: 27467019 PMCID: PMC4964660 DOI: 10.1038/srep29901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As multiple spacefaring nations contemplate extended manned missions to Mars and the Moon, health risks could be elevated as travel goes beyond the Earth's protective magnetosphere into the more intense deep space radiation environment. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether mortality rates due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, accidents and all other causes of death differ in (1) astronauts who never flew orbital missions in space, (2) astronauts who flew only in low Earth orbit (LEO), and (3) Apollo lunar astronauts, the only humans to have traveled beyond Earth's magnetosphere. Results show there were no differences in CVD mortality rate between non-flight (9%) and LEO (11%) astronauts. However, the CVD mortality rate among Apollo lunar astronauts (43%) was 4-5 times higher than in non-flight and LEO astronauts. To test a possible mechanistic basis for these findings, a secondary purpose was to determine the long-term effects of simulated weightlessness and space-relevant total-body irradiation on vascular responsiveness in mice. The results demonstrate that space-relevant irradiation induces a sustained vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. Such impairment is known to lead to occlusive artery disease, and may be an important risk factor for CVD among astronauts exposed to deep space radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Delp
- Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Jacqueline M. Charvat
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group, Johnson Space Center, Houston TX 77058, USA
| | - Charles L. Limoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ruth K. Globus
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Payal Ghosh
- Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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46
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Boerma M, Sridharan V, Mao XW, Nelson GA, Cheema AK, Koturbash I, Singh SP, Tackett AJ, Hauer-Jensen M. Effects of ionizing radiation on the heart. MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2016; 770:319-327. [PMID: 27919338 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
This article provides an overview of studies addressing effects of ionizing radiation on the heart. Clinical studies have identified early and late manifestations of radiation-induced heart disease, a side effect of radiation therapy to tumors in the chest when all or part of the heart is situated in the radiation field. Studies in preclinical animal models have contributed to our understanding of the mechanisms by which radiation may injure the heart. More recent observations in human subjects suggest that ionizing radiation may have cardiovascular effects at lower doses than was previously thought. This has led to examinations of low-dose photons and low-dose charged particle irradiation in animal models. Lastly, studies have started to identify non-invasive methods for detection of cardiac radiation injury and interventions that may prevent or mitigate these adverse effects. Altogether, this ongoing research should increase our knowledge of biological mechanisms of cardiovascular radiation injury, identify non-invasive biomarkers for early detection, and potential interventions that may prevent or mitigate these adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjan Boerma
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Division of Radiation Health, Little Rock, AR, United States.
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Division of Radiation Health, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Xiao-Wen Mao
- Loma Linda University, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Gregory A Nelson
- Loma Linda University, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Amrita K Cheema
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Departments of Oncology and Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Igor Koturbash
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Environment and Occupational Health, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Sharda P Singh
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Alan J Tackett
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Martin Hauer-Jensen
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Division of Radiation Health, Little Rock, AR, United States; Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Surgical Service, Little Rock, AR, United States
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47
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Radiation-induced changes in DNA methylation of repetitive elements in the mouse heart. Mutat Res 2016; 787:43-53. [PMID: 26963372 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism, needed for proper control over the expression of genetic information and silencing of repetitive elements. Exposure to ionizing radiation, aside from its strong genotoxic potential, may also affect the methylation of DNA, within the repetitive elements, in particular. In this study, we exposed C57BL/6J male mice to low absorbed mean doses of two types of space radiation-proton (0.1 Gy, 150 MeV, dose rate 0.53 ± 0.08 Gy/min), and heavy iron ions ((56)Fe) (0.5 Gy, 600 MeV/n, dose rate 0.38 ± 0.06 Gy/min). Radiation-induced changes in cardiac DNA methylation associated with repetitive elements were detected. Specifically, modest hypomethylation of retrotransposon LINE-1 was observed at day 7 after irradiation with either protons or (56)Fe. This was followed by LINE-1, and other retrotransposons, ERV2 and SINE B1, as well as major satellite DNA hypermethylation at day 90 after irradiation with (56)Fe. These changes in DNA methylation were accompanied by alterations in the expression of DNA methylation machinery and affected the one-carbon metabolism pathway. Furthermore, loss of transposable elements expression was detected in the cardiac tissue at the 90-day time-point, paralleled by substantial accumulation of mRNA transcripts, associated with major satellites. Given that the one-carbon metabolism pathway can be modulated by dietary modifications, these findings suggest a potential strategy for the mitigation and, possibly, prevention of the negative effects exerted by ionizing radiation on the cardiovascular system. Additionally, we show that the methylation status and expression of repetitive elements may serve as early biomarkers of exposure to space radiation.
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48
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Bhattacharya S, Asaithamby A. Ionizing radiation and heart risks. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 58:14-25. [PMID: 26849909 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As advancements in radiation therapy (RT) have significantly increased the number of cancer survivors, the risk of radiation-induced cardiovascular disease (RICD) in this group is a growing concern. Recent epidemiological data suggest that accidental or occupational exposure to low dose radiation, in addition to therapeutic ionizing radiation, can result in cardiovascular complications. The progression of radiation-induced cardiotoxicity often takes years to manifest but is also multifaceted, as the heart may be affected by a variety of pathologies. The risk of cardiovascular disease development in RT cancer survivors has been known for 40 years and several risk factors have been identified in the last two decades. However, most of the early work focused on clinical symptoms and manifestations, rather than understanding cellular processes regulating homeostatic processes of the cardiovascular system in response to radiation. Recent studies have suggested that a different approach may be needed to refute the risk of cardiovascular disease following radiation exposure. In this review, we will focus on how different radiation types and doses may induce cardiovascular complications, highlighting clinical manifestations and the mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of radiation-induced cardiotoxicity. We will finally discuss how current and future research on heart development and homeostasis can help reduce the incidence of RICD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souparno Bhattacharya
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Aroumougame Asaithamby
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States.
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49
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Ramadan SS, Sridharan V, Koturbash I, Miousse IR, Hauer-Jensen M, Nelson GA, Boerma M. A priming dose of protons alters the early cardiac cellular and molecular response to (56)Fe irradiation. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2016; 8:8-13. [PMID: 26948008 PMCID: PMC4782196 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recent evidence suggests that the heart may be injured by ionizing radiation at lower doses than was previously thought. This raises concerns about the cardiovascular risks from exposure to radiation during space travel. Since space travel is associated with exposure to both protons from solar particle events and heavy ions from galactic cosmic rays, we here examined the effects of a "priming" dose of protons on the cardiac cellular and molecular response to a "challenge" dose of (56)Fe in a mouse model. METHODS Male C57BL/6 mice at 10 weeks of age were exposed to sham-irradiation, 0.1 Gy of protons (150 MeV), 0.5 Gy of (56)Fe (600 MeV/n), or 0.1 Gy of protons 24 hours prior to 0.5 Gy of (56)Fe. Hearts were obtained at 7 days post-irradiation and western-blots were used to determine protein markers of cardiac remodeling, inflammatory infiltration, and cell death. RESULTS Exposure to (56)Fe caused an increase in expression of α-smooth muscle cell actin, collagen type III, the inflammatory cell markers mast cell tryptase, CD2 and CD68, the endothelial glycoprotein thrombomodulin, and cleaved caspase 3. Of all proteins investigated, protons at a dose of 0.1 Gy induced a small increase only in cleaved caspase 3 levels. On the other hand, exposure to protons 24 hours before (56)Fe prevented all of the responses to (56)Fe. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that a low dose of protons may prime the heart to respond differently to a subsequent challenge dose of heavy ions. Further investigation is required to identify responses at additional time points, consequences for cardiac function, threshold dose levels, and mechanisms by which a proton priming dose may alter the response to heavy ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samy S Ramadan
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Igor Koturbash
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Isabelle R Miousse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Martin Hauer-Jensen
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; Surgical Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Gregory A Nelson
- Departments of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
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50
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Boerma M, Nelson GA, Sridharan V, Mao XW, Koturbash I, Hauer-Jensen M. Space radiation and cardiovascular disease risk. World J Cardiol 2015; 7:882-888. [PMID: 26730293 PMCID: PMC4691814 DOI: 10.4330/wjc.v7.i12.882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Revised: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Future long-distance space missions will be associated with significant exposures to ionizing radiation, and the health risks of these radiation exposures during manned missions need to be assessed. Recent Earth-based epidemiological studies in survivors of atomic bombs and after occupational and medical low dose radiation exposures have indicated that the cardiovascular system may be more sensitive to ionizing radiation than was previously thought. This has raised the concern of a cardiovascular disease risk from exposure to space radiation during long-distance space travel. Ground-based studies with animal and cell culture models play an important role in estimating health risks from space radiation exposure. Charged particle space radiation has dense ionization characteristics and may induce unique biological responses, appropriate simulation of the space radiation environment and careful consideration of the choice of the experimental model are critical. Recent studies have addressed cardiovascular effects of space radiation using such models and provided first results that aid in estimating cardiovascular disease risk, and several other studies are ongoing. Moreover, astronauts could potentially be administered pharmacological countermeasures against adverse effects of space radiation, and research is focused on the development of such compounds. Because the cardiovascular response to space radiation has not yet been clearly defined, the identification of potential pharmacological countermeasures against cardiovascular effects is still in its infancy.
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