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Camera A, Tabetah M, Castañeda V, Kim J, Galsinh AS, Haro-Vinueza A, Salinas I, Seylani A, Arif S, Das S, Mori MA, Carano A, de Oliveira LC, Muratani M, Barker R, Zaksas V, Goel C, Dimokidis E, Taylor DM, Jeong J, Overbey E, Meydan C, Porterfield DM, Díaz JE, Caicedo A, Schisler JC, Laiakis EC, Mason CE, Kim MS, Karouia F, Szewczyk NJ, Beheshti A. Aging and putative frailty biomarkers are altered by spaceflight. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13098. [PMID: 38862573 PMCID: PMC11166946 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57948-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Human space exploration poses inherent risks to astronauts' health, leading to molecular changes that can significantly impact their well-being. These alterations encompass genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased inflammation, homeostatic dysregulation, and various epigenomic changes. Remarkably, these changes bear similarities to those observed during the aging process on Earth. However, our understanding of the connection between these molecular shifts and disease development in space remains limited. Frailty syndrome, a clinical syndrome associated with biological aging, has not been comprehensively investigated during spaceflight. To bridge this knowledge gap, we leveraged murine data obtained from NASA's GeneLab, along with astronaut data gathered from the JAXA and Inspiration4 missions. Our objective was to assess the presence of biological markers and pathways related to frailty, aging, and sarcopenia within the spaceflight context. Through our analysis, we identified notable changes in gene expression patterns that may be indicative of the development of a frailty-like condition during space missions. These findings suggest that the parallels between spaceflight and the aging process may extend to encompass frailty as well. Consequently, further investigations exploring the utility of a frailty index in monitoring astronaut health appear to be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Camera
- Intitute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marshall Tabetah
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | | | - JangKeun Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aman Singh Galsinh
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Alissen Haro-Vinueza
- Biología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Ivonne Salinas
- Escuela de Medicina, Colegio de Ciencias de La Salud COCSA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Allen Seylani
- Riverside-School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Shehbeel Arif
- Center for Data-Driven Discovery in Biomedicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Saswati Das
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Marcelo A Mori
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Anthony Carano
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | | | - Masafumi Muratani
- Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
- Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Richard Barker
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Victoria Zaksas
- Center for Translational Data Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Clever Research Lab, Springfield, IL, 62704, USA
| | - Chirag Goel
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | | | - Deanne M Taylor
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19041, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jisu Jeong
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eliah Overbey
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cem Meydan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Marshall Porterfield
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Juan Esteban Díaz
- Data Science Institute, School of Business, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Andrés Caicedo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biomedicina iBioMed, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
- Mito-Act Research Consortium, Quito, Ecuador
- Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Jonathan C Schisler
- McAllister Heart Institute and Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Evagelia C Laiakis
- Department of Oncology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Man S Kim
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Fathi Karouia
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- Space Research Within Reach, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nathaniel J Szewczyk
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Afshin Beheshti
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
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Salazar M, Joly S, Anglada-Escudé G, Ribas L. Epigenetic and physiological alterations in zebrafish subjected to hypergravity. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300310. [PMID: 38776274 PMCID: PMC11111069 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Gravity is one of the most constant environmental factors across Earth's evolution and all organisms are adapted to it. Consequently, spatial exploration has captured the interest in studying the biological changes that physiological alterations are caused by gravity. In the last two decades, epigenetics has explained how environmental cues can alter gene functions in organisms. Although many studies addressed gravity, the underlying biological and molecular mechanisms that occur in altered gravity for those epigenetics-related mechanisms, are mostly inexistent. The present study addressed the effects of hypergravity on development, behavior, gene expression, and most importantly, on the epigenetic changes in a worldwide animal model, the zebrafish (Danio rerio). To perform hypergravity experiments, a custom-centrifuge simulating the large diameter centrifuge (100 rpm ~ 3 g) was designed and zebrafish embryos were exposed during 5 days post fertilization (dpf). Results showed a significant decrease in survival at 2 dpf but no significance in the hatching rate. Physiological and morphological alterations including fish position, movement frequency, and swimming behavior showed significant changes due to hypergravity. Epigenetic studies showed significant hypermethylation of the genome of the zebrafish larvae subjected to 5 days of hypergravity. Downregulation of the gene expression of three epigenetic-related genes (dnmt1, dnmt3, and tet1), although not significant, was further observed. Taken altogether, gravity alterations affected biological responses including epigenetics in fish, providing a valuable roadmap of the putative hazards of living beyond Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Salazar
- Department of Renewable Marine Resources, Institut de Ciències del Mar—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Joly
- Department of Renewable Marine Resources, Institut de Ciències del Mar—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guillem Anglada-Escudé
- Department of Astrophysics, Institut de Ciències de l’Espai—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICE-CSIC), UAB Campus at Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya–IEEC/CERCA, Gran Capità, 2–4, Edifici Nexus, Despatx 201, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laia Ribas
- Department of Renewable Marine Resources, Institut de Ciències del Mar—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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Graf J, Schulz H, Wehland M, Corydon TJ, Sahana J, Abdelfattah F, Wuest SL, Egli M, Krüger M, Kraus A, Wise PM, Infanger M, Grimm D. Omics Studies of Tumor Cells under Microgravity Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:926. [PMID: 38255998 PMCID: PMC10815863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is defined as a group of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth, expansion, and progression with metastasis. Various signaling pathways are involved in its development. Malignant tumors exhibit a high morbidity and mortality. Cancer research increased our knowledge about some of the underlying mechanisms, but to this day, our understanding of this disease is unclear. High throughput omics technology and bioinformatics were successful in detecting some of the unknown cancer mechanisms. However, novel groundbreaking research and ideas are necessary. A stay in orbit causes biochemical and molecular biological changes in human cancer cells which are first, and above all, due to microgravity (µg). The µg-environment provides conditions that are not reachable on Earth, which allow researchers to focus on signaling pathways controlling cell growth and metastasis. Cancer research in space already demonstrated how cancer cell-exposure to µg influenced several biological processes being involved in cancer. This novel approach has the potential to fight cancer and to develop future cancer strategies. Space research has been shown to impact biological processes in cancer cells like proliferation, apoptosis, cell survival, adhesion, migration, the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, focal adhesion, and growth factors, among others. This concise review focuses on publications related to genetic, transcriptional, epigenetic, proteomic, and metabolomic studies on tumor cells exposed to real space conditions or to simulated µg using simulation devices. We discuss all omics studies investigating different tumor cell types from the brain and hematological system, sarcomas, as well as thyroid, prostate, breast, gynecologic, gastrointestinal, and lung cancers, in order to gain new and innovative ideas for understanding the basic biology of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Graf
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
| | - Herbert Schulz
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
| | - Markus Wehland
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
| | - Thomas J. Corydon
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (T.J.C.); (J.S.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Jayashree Sahana
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (T.J.C.); (J.S.)
| | - Fatima Abdelfattah
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
| | - Simon L. Wuest
- Space Biology Group, Institute of Medical Engineering, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6052 Hergiswil, Switzerland (M.E.)
| | - Marcel Egli
- Space Biology Group, Institute of Medical Engineering, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6052 Hergiswil, Switzerland (M.E.)
- National Center for Biomedical Research in Space, Innovation Cluster Space and Aviation (UZH Space Hub), University Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
| | - Armin Kraus
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Petra M. Wise
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
- The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Manfred Infanger
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Grimm
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.G.); (H.S.); (M.W.); (F.A.); (M.K.); (P.M.W.)
- Research Group “Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt- und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen” (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (T.J.C.); (J.S.)
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Gorbacheva EY, Sventitskaya MA, Biryukov NS, Ogneva IV. The Oxidative Phosphorylation and Cytoskeleton Proteins of Mouse Ovaries after 96 Hours of Hindlimb Suspension. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2332. [PMID: 38137934 PMCID: PMC10744499 DOI: 10.3390/life13122332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in mouse ovaries, determine the relative content of proteins that form the respiratory chain complexes and the main structures of the cytoskeleton, and determine the mRNA of the corresponding genes after hindlimb suspension for 96 h. After hindlimb suspension, the maximum rate of oxygen uptake increased by 133% (p < 0.05) compared to the control due to the complex I of the respiratory chain. The content of mRNA of genes encoding the main components of the respiratory chain increased (cyt c by 78%, cox IV by 56%, ATPase by 69%, p < 0.05 compared with the control). The relative content of cytoskeletal proteins that can participate in the processes of transport and localization of mitochondria does not change, with the exception of an increase in the content of alpha-tubulin by 25% (p < 0.05) and its acetylated isoform (by 36%, p < 0.05); however, the mRNA content of these cytoskeletal genes did not differ from the control. The content of GDF9 mRNA does not change after hindlimb suspension. The data obtained show that short-term exposure to simulated weightlessness leads to intensification of metabolism in the ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Yu. Gorbacheva
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Gynecology Department, FGBU KB1 (Volynskaya) UDP RF, 10, Starovolynskaya Str., Moscow 121352, Russia
| | - Maria A. Sventitskaya
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8-2 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Nikolay S. Biryukov
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8-2 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Irina V. Ogneva
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 76a, Khoroshevskoyoe shosse, Moscow 123007, Russia; (E.Y.G.); (N.S.B.); (I.V.O.)
- Medical and Biological Physics Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8-2 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991, Russia
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Beheshti A, McDonald JT, Hada M, Takahashi A, Mason CE, Mognato M. Genomic Changes Driven by Radiation-Induced DNA Damage and Microgravity in Human Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910507. [PMID: 34638848 PMCID: PMC8508777 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The space environment consists of a complex mixture of different types of ionizing radiation and altered gravity that represents a threat to humans during space missions. In particular, individual radiation sensitivity is strictly related to the risk of space radiation carcinogenesis. Therefore, in view of future missions to the Moon and Mars, there is an urgent need to estimate as accurately as possible the individual risk from space exposure to improve the safety of space exploration. In this review, we survey the combined effects from the two main physical components of the space environment, ionizing radiation and microgravity, to alter the genetics and epigenetics of human cells, considering both real and simulated space conditions. Data collected from studies on human cells are discussed for their potential use to estimate individual radiation carcinogenesis risk from space exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Beheshti
- KBR, NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Correspondence: or (A.B.); (M.M.)
| | - J. Tyson McDonald
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA;
| | - Megumi Hada
- Radiation Institute for Science & Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA;
| | - Akihisa Takahashi
- Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, 3-39-22 Showa-Machi, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan;
| | - Christopher E. Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
- The World Quant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Maddalena Mognato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Correspondence: or (A.B.); (M.M.)
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Wang S, Zhang N, Di J, Zhao W, Shi G, Xie R, Hu B, Yang H. Analysis of the effects of magnetic levitation to simulate microgravity environment on the Arp2/3 complex pathway in macrophage. J Biol Phys 2021; 47:323-335. [PMID: 34533653 PMCID: PMC8452804 DOI: 10.1007/s10867-021-09581-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
With dwindling natural resources on earth, current and future generations will need to explore space to new planets that will require travel under no or varying gravity conditions. Hence, long-term space missions and anticipated impacts on human biology such as changes in immune function are of growing research interest. Here, we reported new findings on mechanisms of immune response to microgravity with a focus on macrophage as a cellular model. We employed a superconducting magnet to generate a simulated microgravity environment and evaluated the effects of simulated microgravity on RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line in three time frames: 8, 24, and 48 h. As study endpoints, we measured cell viability, phagocytosis, and used next-generation sequencing to explore its changing mechanism. Macrophage cell viability and phagocytosis both showed a marked decrease under microgravity. The differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified in two ways: (1) gravity-dependent DEG, compared μg samples and 1 g samples at each time point; (2) time-dependent DEG, compared time-point samples within the same gravitational field. Through transcriptome analysis and confirmed by molecular biological verification, our findings firstly suggest that microgravity might affect macrophage phagocytosis by targeting Arp2/3 complex involved cytoskeleton synthesis and causing macrophage immune dysfunction. Our findings contribute to an emerging body of scholarship on biological effects of space travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sufang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
- Center of Special Environmental Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Nu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
- Center of Special Environmental Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Jianglei Di
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Wenjuan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
- Center of Special Environmental Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Guolin Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
- Center of Special Environmental Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Ruiheng Xie
- Department of Computer and Information Science, College of Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Bohan Hu
- College of Innovation and Experiment, Yangling Demonstration Area, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, 712100 , China
| | - Hui Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China.
- Center of Special Environmental Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China.
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Rapid Transient Transcriptional Adaptation to Hypergravity in Jurkat T Cells Revealed by Comparative Analysis of Microarray and RNA-Seq Data. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168451. [PMID: 34445156 PMCID: PMC8395121 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular responses to micro- and hypergravity are rapid and complex and appear within the first few seconds of exposure. Transcriptomic analyses are a valuable tool to analyze these genome-wide cellular alterations. For a better understanding of the cellular dynamics upon altered gravity exposure, it is important to compare different time points. However, since most of the experiments are designed as endpoint measurements, the combination of cross-experiment meta-studies is inevitable. Microarray and RNA-Seq analyses are two of the main methods to study transcriptomics. In the field of altered gravity research, both methods are frequently used. However, the generation of these data sets is difficult and time-consuming and therefore the number of available data sets in this research field is limited. In this study, we investigated the comparability of microarray and RNA-Seq data and applied the results to a comparison of the transcriptomics dynamics between the hypergravity conditions during two real flight platforms and a centrifuge experiment to identify temporal adaptation processes. We performed a comparative study on an Affymetrix HTA2.0 microarray and a paired-end RNA-Seq data set originating from the same Jurkat T cell RNA samples from a short-term hypergravity experiment. The overall agreeability was high, with better sensitivity of the RNA-Seq analysis. The microarray data set showed weaknesses on the level of single upregulated genes, likely due to its normalization approach. On an aggregated level of biotypes, chromosomal distribution, and gene sets, both technologies performed equally well. The microarray showed better performance on the detection of altered gravity-related splicing events. We found that all initially altered transcripts fully adapted after 15 min to hypergravity and concluded that the altered gene expression response to hypergravity is transient and fully reversible. Based on the combined multiple-platform meta-analysis, we could demonstrate rapid transcriptional adaptation to hypergravity, the differential expression of the ATPase subunits ATP6V1A and ATP6V1D, and the cluster of differentiation (CD) molecules CD1E, CD2AP, CD46, CD47, CD53, CD69, CD96, CD164, and CD226 in hypergravity. We could experimentally demonstrate that it is possible to develop methodological evidence for the meta-analysis of individual data.
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Gravitational Influence on Human Living Systems and the Evolution of Species on Earth. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26092784. [PMID: 34066886 PMCID: PMC8125950 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gravity constituted the only constant environmental parameter, during the evolutionary period of living matter on Earth. However, whether gravity has affected the evolution of species, and its impact is still ongoing. The topic has not been investigated in depth, as this would require frequent and long-term experimentations in space or an environment of altered gravity. In addition, each organism should be studied throughout numerous generations to determine the profound biological changes in evolution. Here, we review the significant abnormalities presented in the cardiovascular, immune, vestibular and musculoskeletal systems, due to altered gravity conditions. We also review the impact that gravity played in the anatomy of snakes and amphibians, during their evolution. Overall, it appears that gravity does not only curve the space–time continuum but the biological continuum, as well.
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Zhu L, Nie L, Xie S, Li M, Zhu C, Qiu X, Kuang J, Liu C, Lu C, Li W, Meng E, Zhang D, Zhu L. Attenuation of Antiviral Immune Response Caused by Perturbation of TRIM25-Mediated RIG-I Activation under Simulated Microgravity. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108600. [PMID: 33406425 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgravity is a major environmental factor of space flight that triggers dysregulation of the immune system and increases clinical risks for deep-space-exploration crews. However, systematic studies and molecular mechanisms of the adverse effects of microgravity on the immune system in animal models are limited. Here, we establish a ground-based zebrafish disease model of microgravity for the research of space immunology. RNA sequencing analysis demonstrates that the retinoic-acid-inducible gene (RIG)-I-like receptor (RLR) and the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways are significantly compromised by simulated microgravity (Sμg). TRIM25, an essential E3 for RLR signaling, is inhibited under Sμg, hampering the K63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I and the following function-induction positive feedback loop of antiviral immune response. These mechanisms provide insights into better understanding of the effects and principles of microgravity on host antiviral immunity and present broad potential implications for developing strategies that can prevent and control viral diseases during space flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lvyun Zhu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China.
| | - Li Nie
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, P.R. China
| | - Sisi Xie
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Chushu Zhu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Xinyuan Qiu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Jingyu Kuang
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Chuanyang Liu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Chenyu Lu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Wenying Li
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Er Meng
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Dongyi Zhang
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Lingyun Zhu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China.
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Douvlataniotis K, Bensberg M, Lentini A, Gylemo B, Nestor CE. No evidence for DNA N 6-methyladenine in mammals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay3335. [PMID: 32206710 PMCID: PMC7080441 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay3335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
N 6-methyladenine (6mdA) is a widespread DNA modification in bacteria. More recently, 6mdA has also been characterized in mammalian DNA. However, measurements of 6mdA abundance and profiles are often very dissimilar between studies, even when performed on DNA from identical mammalian cell types. Using comprehensive bioinformatics analyses of published data and novel experimental approaches, we reveal that efforts to assay 6mdA in mammals have been severely compromised by bacterial contamination, RNA contamination, technological limitations, and antibody nonspecificity. These complications render 6mdA an exceptionally problematic DNA modification to study and have resulted in erroneous detection of 6mdA in several mammalian systems. Together, our results strongly imply that the evidence published to date is not sufficient to support the presence of 6mdA in mammals.
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Honda T, Nakayama R, Kawahara Y, Yuge L, Ueda K. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is cell-intrinsically controlled in latency in microgravity. Virus Res 2020; 276:197821. [PMID: 31756357 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In the next several decades, humans will explore deep space, including Mars. During long-term space flight, astronauts will be exposed to various physical stressors. Among these stressors, microgravity may compromise the immune system. Consistently, the reactivation of several latent herpesviruses has been reported in astronauts. Although herpesvirus infection status is determined by both cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic factors, it remains unclear which factors play major roles in the virus reactivation in microgravity. Here, using Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-infected cells, we found that KSHV is cell-intrinsically controlled in latency in microgravity. Innate immunity appeared to be unaffected in microgravity, while the expression of some restriction factors against KSHV, such as CTCF and AMPK, was upregulated. Collectively, the infected cells in microgravity can control KSHV in latency, possibly by unimpaired innate immunity and upregulated KSHV restriction factors. This is the first pilot study of the conflicts between cell-intrinsic defense systems and viruses in microgravity and provides fundamental information regarding host-virus interactions in microgravity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyuki Honda
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Ryota Nakayama
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yumi Kawahara
- Space Bio-Laboratories Co., Ltd., Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-0037, Japan
| | - Louis Yuge
- Space Bio-Laboratories Co., Ltd., Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-0037, Japan; Division of Bio-Environmental Adaptation Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-0037, Japan
| | - Keiji Ueda
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Usik MA, Ogneva IV. DNA Methylation in Mouse Spermatozoa under Long-Term Modeling the Effects of Microgravity. Russ J Dev Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360419040076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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13
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Testes and duct deferens of mice during space flight: cytoskeleton structure, sperm-specific proteins and epigenetic events. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9730. [PMID: 31278362 PMCID: PMC6611814 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46324-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
To analyze the effect of gravity on the structure of germinal tissues, we examined tissues of the testes and duct deferens of mice that were exposed to space flight conditions for 21–24 days (experiment Rodent Research-4, SpaceX-10 mission, February 2017, USA). We evaluated the levels of cytoskeletal proteins, sperm-specific proteins, and epigenetic events; in particular, we evaluated levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and of enzymes that regulate DNA methylation/demethylation. We did not detect changes in the levels of cytoskeletal proteins, sperm-specific proteins, DNA-methylases, DNA demethylases, DNA acetylases, or histone deacetylases. However, there were changes at the gene expression level. In particular, there was an increase in the demethylase Tet2 and a decrease in the histone deacetylase Hdac1. These gene expression changes may be of key importance during the early period of readaptation since they could lead to an increase in the expression of target genes.
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DNA Methylation of Mouse Testes, Cardiac and Lung Tissue During Long-Term Microgravity Simulation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7974. [PMID: 31138883 PMCID: PMC6538624 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44468-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Under microgravity, the gene expression levels vary in different types of cells; however, the reasons for this have not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this work was to evaluate the methylation of CpG islands in the promoter regions of the genes encoding some cytoskeletal proteins, the total methylation and 5 hmC levels, and the levels of enzymes that regulate these processes in the testes, heart, and lungs in mice after a 30-day microgravity modeling by antiorthostatic suspension and after a subsequent 12-hour recovery as well as in the corresponding control group and identical groups treated with essential phospholipids. The obtained results indicate that under modeling microgravity in the examined tissues a decrease of cytoskeletal gene expression (mainly in the heart and lungs tissues) correlated with an increase in the CpG islands methylation and an increase of the expression (mainly in the testes tissue) - with a decrease of the CpG-methylation, despite of the fact that in the examined tissues took place a decrease of the content methylases and demethylases. But the deacetylase HDAC1 content increased in the heart and lungs tissues and decreased in the testes, letting us suggest its participation in the regulation of the methylation level under microgravity conditions.
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Peng H, Chen MW, Lin YY, Zhao F, Zhou YX, Wang GX. [Mitochondrial DNA hydroxymethylation level in the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2019; 21:300-304. [PMID: 30907358 PMCID: PMC7389350 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2019.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the methylation level and dynamic change of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. METHODS A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into control group, 24-hour model group and 48-hour model group (n=8 each). Common carotid artery ligation combined with hypoxic treatment was performed to establish an animal model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. The rats in the control group were not given ligation or hypoxic treatment. Oxidative bisulfite sequencing was used to measure the level of 5hmC in the cerebral cortex. Western blot was used to measure the expression of 5hmC-related enzymes TET1, TET2 and DNMT1. RESULTS The 24- and 48-hour model groups had a significantly higher level of 5hmC than the control group (P<0.05). Western blot showed a significant increase in the expression of DNMT1 in the 24- and 48-hour model groups (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the 24- and 48-hour model groups had significant differences in the 5hmC level at multiple mitochondrial genetic loci (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The level of DNMT1, a key enzyme for 5hmC modification in mtDNA, in the cerebral cortex increases in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage, suggesting that there is an abnormal methylation level of 5hmC after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage, which might be associated with the regulation of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Peng
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, China.
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Becker BV, Kaatsch L, Obermair R, Schrock G, Port M, Ullmann R. X-ray irradiation induces subtle changes in the genome-wide distribution of DNA hydroxymethylation with opposing trends in genic and intergenic regions. Epigenetics 2019; 14:81-93. [PMID: 30691379 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2019.1568807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA hydroxymethylation has gained attention as an intermediate in the process of DNA demethylation. More recently, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine has been recognized as an independent epigenetic mark that can persist over time and that exerts influence on gene regulation and other biological processes. Deregulation of this DNA modification has been linked to tumorigenesis and a variety of other diseases. The impact of irradiation on DNA hydroxymethylation is poorly understood. In this study we exposed lung fibroblasts (IMR90) to 0.5 Gy and 2 Gy of X-rays, respectively. We characterized radiation induced changes of DNA hydroxymethylation 1 h, 6 h, 24 h and 120 h after exposure employing immunoprecipitation and subsequent deep sequencing of the genomic fraction enriched for hydroxymethylated DNA. Transcriptomic response to irradiation was analyzed for time points 6 h and 24 h post exposure by means of RNA sequencing. Irradiated and sham-irradiated samples shared the same overall distribution of 5-hydroxymethylcytosines with respect to genomic features such as promoters and exons. The frequency of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine peaks differentially detected in irradiated samples increased in genic regions over time, while the opposing trend was observed for intergenic regions. Onset and extent of this effect was dose dependent. Moreover, we demonstrated a biased distribution of 5-hmC alterations at CpG islands and sites occupied by the DNA binding protein CTCF. In summary, our study provides new insights into the epigenetic response to irradiation. Our data highlight genomic features more prone to irradiation induced changes of DNA hydroxymethylation, which might impact early and late onset effects of irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin V Becker
- a Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology , University of Ulm , Munich , Germany
| | - Leonhard Kaatsch
- a Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology , University of Ulm , Munich , Germany
| | - Richard Obermair
- a Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology , University of Ulm , Munich , Germany
| | - Gerrit Schrock
- a Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology , University of Ulm , Munich , Germany
| | - Matthias Port
- a Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology , University of Ulm , Munich , Germany
| | - Reinhard Ullmann
- a Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology , University of Ulm , Munich , Germany
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Tauber S, Christoffel S, Thiel CS, Ullrich O. Transcriptional Homeostasis of Oxidative Stress-Related Pathways in Altered Gravity. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2814. [PMID: 30231541 PMCID: PMC6164947 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Whereby several types of cultured cells are sensitive to gravity, the immune system belongs to the most affected systems during spaceflight. Since reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) are serving as signals of cellular homeostasis, particularly in the cells of the immune system, we investigated the immediate effect of altered gravity on the transcription of 86 genes involved in reactive oxygen species metabolism, antioxidative systems, and cellular response to oxidative stress, using parabolic flight and suborbital ballistic rocket experiments and microarray analysis. In human myelomonocytic U937 cells, we detected a rapid response of 19.8% of all of the investigated oxidative stress-related transcripts to 1.8 g of hypergravity and 1.1% to microgravity as early as after 20 s. Nearly all (97.2%) of the initially altered transcripts adapted after 75 s of hypergravity (max. 13.5 g), and 100% adapted after 5 min of microgravity. After the almost complete adaptation of initially altered transcripts, a significant second pool of differentially expressed transcripts appeared. In contrast, we detected nearly no response of oxidative stress-related transcripts in human Jurkat T cells to altered gravity. In conclusion, we assume a very well-regulated homeostasis and transcriptional stability of oxidative stress-related pathways in altered gravity in cells of the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svantje Tauber
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Machine Design, Engineering Design and Product Development, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
- Space Life Sciences Laboratory (SLSL), Kennedy Space Center, 505 Odyssey Way, Exploration Park, FL 32953, USA.
| | - Swantje Christoffel
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Machine Design, Engineering Design and Product Development, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Cora Sandra Thiel
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Machine Design, Engineering Design and Product Development, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
- Space Life Sciences Laboratory (SLSL), Kennedy Space Center, 505 Odyssey Way, Exploration Park, FL 32953, USA.
| | - Oliver Ullrich
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Machine Design, Engineering Design and Product Development, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
- Space Life Sciences Laboratory (SLSL), Kennedy Space Center, 505 Odyssey Way, Exploration Park, FL 32953, USA.
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Ogneva IV, Loktev SS, Sychev VN. Cytoskeleton structure and total methylation of mouse cardiac and lung tissue during space flight. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192643. [PMID: 29768411 PMCID: PMC5955502 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the protein and mRNA expression levels of multiple cytoskeletal proteins in the cardiac and lung tissue of mice that were euthanized onboard the United States Orbital Segment of the International Space Station 37 days after the start of the SpaceX-4 mission (September 2014, USA). The results showed no changes in the cytoskeletal protein content in the cardiac and lung tissue of the mice, but there were significant changes in the mRNA expression levels of the associated genes, which may be due to an increase in total genome methylation. The mRNA expression levels of DNA methylases, the cytosine demethylases Tet1 and Tet3, histone acetylase and histone deacetylase did not change, and the mRNA expression level of cytosine demethylase Tet2 was significantly decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina V. Ogneva
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail:
| | - Sergey S. Loktev
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir N. Sychev
- Cell Biophysics Lab, State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Mattei C, Alshawaf A, D'Abaco G, Nayagam B, Dottori M. Generation of Neural Organoids from Human Embryonic Stem Cells Using the Rotary Cell Culture System: Effects of Microgravity on Neural Progenitor Cell Fate. Stem Cells Dev 2018; 27:848-857. [PMID: 29649415 PMCID: PMC6338565 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2018.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in aeronautics and spaceflight technologies requires in parallel further research on how microgravity may affect human tissue. To date, little is known about the effects of microgravity on human development. In this study we used the rotary cell culture system to investigate whether microgravity supports the generation and maintenance of neural organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a model of human brain development. Our results show that although neural organoids could be generated and maintained in microgravity conditions, there were changes in expression of rostral–caudal neural patterning genes and cortical markers compared to organoids generated in standard conditions. This phenomenon was also observed in hESC-derived cortical organoids exposed to microgravity for relatively shorter periods. These results are one of the first for analyzing human neurogenesis in a microgravity environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Mattei
- 1 Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia .,2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia
| | - Abdullah Alshawaf
- 1 Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia .,3 Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Giovanna D'Abaco
- 2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bryony Nayagam
- 4 Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Medical Bionics Department, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mirella Dottori
- 1 Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia .,2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia .,5 Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Centre for Molecular and Medical Bioscience, University of Wollongong , Wollongong, Australia
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Wang H, An X, Yu H, Zhang S, Tang B, Zhang X, Li Z. MiR-29b/TET1/ZEB2 signaling axis regulates metastatic properties and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells. Oncotarget 2017; 8:102119-102133. [PMID: 29254230 PMCID: PMC5731940 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
MiR-29b has been reported to be both a suppressor and a promoter in breast cancer (BC) cells proliferation and metastasis. Significant efforts have been made to explain the seemingly contradictory effects of miR-29b on BC, but no answer has yet been clearly verified. In this study, we overexpressed and knocked down miR-29b in BC cell lines, modulated expression of its downstream target gene TET1 and downregulated a downstream target gene of TET1, ZEB2, to explore the regulatory mechanism of miR-29b in BC cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our results showed lower expression of miR-29b in BC samples and cell lines. Functional assays showed that miR-29b overexpression resulted in a higher cell proliferation, greater colony formation, higher migration rate and EMT. A dual luciferase assay identified TET1 as a direct target of miR-29b. As the promoting effects of miR-29b in the proliferation and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, knockdown of TET1 also led to increased proliferation, colony formation, invasion and EMT. Further, we found that TET1 bound to the promoter of ZEB2, and siTET1 enhanced ZEB2 expression. Disruption of ZEB2 expression inhibited BC cells proliferation, colony formation and invasion. Our results establish the miR-29b/TET1/ZEB2 pathway in BC cell proliferation, migration and provide a theoretical basis for further research on the molecular mechanisms and new clinical treatments for BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Wang
- The First Bethune Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Xinglan An
- The First Bethune Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Sheng Zhang
- The First Bethune Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
| | - Bo Tang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Xueming Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- The First Bethune Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
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21
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Dynamic gene expression response to altered gravity in human T cells. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5204. [PMID: 28701719 PMCID: PMC5507981 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05580-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the dynamics of immediate and initial gene expression response to different gravitational environments in human Jurkat T lymphocytic cells and compared expression profiles to identify potential gravity-regulated genes and adaptation processes. We used the Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Transcriptome Array 2.0 containing 44,699 protein coding genes and 22,829 non-protein coding genes and performed the experiments during a parabolic flight and a suborbital ballistic rocket mission to cross-validate gravity-regulated gene expression through independent research platforms and different sets of control experiments to exclude other factors than alteration of gravity. We found that gene expression in human T cells rapidly responded to altered gravity in the time frame of 20 s and 5 min. The initial response to microgravity involved mostly regulatory RNAs. We identified three gravity-regulated genes which could be cross-validated in both completely independent experiment missions: ATP6V1A/D, a vacuolar H + -ATPase (V-ATPase) responsible for acidification during bone resorption, IGHD3-3/IGHD3-10, diversity genes of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus participating in V(D)J recombination, and LINC00837, a long intergenic non-protein coding RNA. Due to the extensive and rapid alteration of gene expression associated with regulatory RNAs, we conclude that human cells are equipped with a robust and efficient adaptation potential when challenged with altered gravitational environments.
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22
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Seawright JW, Samman Y, Sridharan V, Mao XW, Cao M, Singh P, Melnyk S, Koturbash I, Nelson GA, Hauer-Jensen M, Boerma M. Effects of low-dose rate γ-irradiation combined with simulated microgravity on markers of oxidative stress, DNA methylation potential, and remodeling in the mouse heart. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180594. [PMID: 28678877 PMCID: PMC5498037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Space travel is associated with an exposure to low-dose rate ionizing radiation and the microgravity environment, both of which may lead to impairments in cardiac function. We used a mouse model to determine short- and long-term cardiac effects to simulated microgravity (hindlimb unloading; HU), continuous low-dose rate γ-irradiation, or a combination of HU and low-dose rate γ-irradiation. Methods Cardiac tissue was obtained from female, C57BL/6J mice 7 days, 1 month, 4 months, and 9 months following the completion of a 21 day exposure to HU or a 21 day exposure to low-dose rate γ-irradiation (average dose rate of 0.01 cGy/h to a total of 0.04 Gy), or a 21 day simultaneous exposure to HU and low-dose rate γ-irradiation. Immunoblot analysis, rt-PCR, high-performance liquid chromatography, and histology were used to assess inflammatory cell infiltration, cardiac remodeling, oxidative stress, and the methylation potential of cardiac tissue in 3 to 6 animals per group. Results The combination of HU and γ-irradiation demonstrated the strongest increase in reduced to oxidized glutathione ratios 7 days and 1 month after treatment, but a difference was no longer apparent after 9 months. On the other hand, no significant changes in 4-hydroxynonenal adducts was seen in any of the groups, at the measured endpoints. While manganese superoxide dismutase protein levels decreased 9 months after low-dose γ-radiation, no changes were observed in expression of catalase or Nrf2, a transcription factor that determines the expression of several antioxidant enzymes, at the measured endpoints. Inflammatory marker, CD-2 protein content was significantly decreased in all groups 4 months after treatment. No significant differences were observed in α-smooth muscle cell actin protein content, collagen type III protein content or % total collagen. Conclusions This study has provided the first and relatively broad analysis of small molecule and protein markers of oxidative stress, T-lymphocyte infiltration, and cardiac remodeling in response to HU with simultaneous exposure to low-dose rate γ-radiation. Results from the late observation time points suggest that the hearts had mostly recovered from these two experimental conditions. However, further research is needed with larger numbers of animals for a more robust statistical power to fully characterize the early and late effects of simulated microgravity combined with exposure to low-dose rate ionizing radiation on the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W. Seawright
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Yusra Samman
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Xiao Wen Mao
- Department of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, The United States of America
| | - Maohua Cao
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Preeti Singh
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Stepan Melnyk
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Igor Koturbash
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Nelson
- Department of Basic Sciences and Radiation Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, The United States of America
| | - Martin Hauer-Jensen
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, The United States of America
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Abstract
Drynariae Rhizoma is a kidney-tonifying herb that has a long history in clinical practice for the treatment of bone fractures and joint diseases in China. Flavonoids are considered to be its major active ingredients and are reported to ease bone loss in ovariectomized rats. However, the beneficial effects of the total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma on osteoporosis caused by microgravity or mechanical inactivity remain unknown. This study assessed the effects of total Drynariae Rhizoma flavonoids (DRTF, Qihuang, Beijing, China, national medicine permit No. Z20030007, number of production: 04080081, content of DRTF ≥80%) against bone loss induced by simulated microgravity. A hindlimb unloading tail-suspended rat model was established to determine the effect of DRTF on bone mineral density (BMD), biomechanical strength and trabecular bone microarchitecture. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: the baseline, control, hindlimb unloading with vehicle (HLU), and hindlimb unloading treated with DRTF (HLU-DRTF, 75 mg/kg/day) groups. Oral DRTF was administered for 4 weeks. The underlying mechanisms of the DRTF actions on disuse-induced osteoporosis are discussed. The results showed that DRTF treatment significantly increased the BMD and mechanical strength of tail-suspended rats. Enhanced bone turnover markers with HLU treatment were attenuated by DRTF administration. Deterioration of trabecular bone induced by HLU was prevented through elevated bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb. N), trabecular thickness (Tb. Th) and decreased trabecular separation (Tb. Sp). The present study provides the first evidence that DRTF prevents bone loss induced by HLU treatment, indicating its potential application in the treatment of disuse-induced osteoporosis.
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Ouyang L, Hu Y, Zhu L, Cheng GJ, Irudayaraj J. A reusable laser wrapped graphene-Ag array based SERS sensor for trace detection of genomic DNA methylation. Biosens Bioelectron 2017; 92:755-762. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.09.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Chowdhury B, Cho IH, Irudayaraj J. Technical advances in global DNA methylation analysis in human cancers. J Biol Eng 2017; 11:10. [PMID: 28261325 PMCID: PMC5331624 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-017-0052-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prototypical abnormalities of genome-wide DNA methylation constitute the most widely investigated epigenetic mechanism in human cancers. Errors in the cellular machinery to faithfully replicate the global 5-methylcytosine (5mC) patterns, commonly observed during tumorigenesis, give rise to misregulated biological pathways beneficial to the rapidly propagating tumor mass but deleterious to the healthy tissues of the affected individual. A growing body of evidence suggests that the global DNA methylation levels could serve as utilitarian biomarkers in certain cancer types. Important breakthroughs in the recent years have uncovered further oxidized derivatives of 5mC - 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC), thereby expanding our understanding of the DNA methylation dynamics. While the biological roles of these epigenetic derivatives are being extensively characterized, this review presents a perspective on the opportunity of innovation in the global methylation analysis platforms. While multiple methods for global analysis of 5mC in clinical samples exist and have been reviewed elsewhere, two of the established methods - Liquid Chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and Immunoquantification have successfully evolved to include the quantitation of 5hmC, 5fC and 5caC. Although the analytical performance of LC-MS/MS is superior, the simplicity afforded by the experimental procedure of immunoquantitation ensures it’s near ubiquity in clinical applications. Recent developments in spectroscopy, nanotechnology and sequencing also provide immense promise for future evaluations and are discussed briefly. Finally, we provide a perspective on the current scenario of global DNA methylation analysis tools and present suggestions to develop the next generation toolset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basudev Chowdhury
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47907 IN USA
| | - Il-Hoon Cho
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Eulji University, Seongnam, 461-713 Republic of Korea
| | - Joseph Irudayaraj
- Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
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Najrana T, Sanchez-Esteban J. Mechanotransduction as an Adaptation to Gravity. Front Pediatr 2016; 4:140. [PMID: 28083527 PMCID: PMC5183626 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2016.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gravity has played a critical role in the development of terrestrial life. A key event in evolution has been the development of mechanisms to sense and transduce gravitational force into biological signals. The objective of this manuscript is to review how living organisms on Earth use mechanotransduction as an adaptation to gravity. Certain cells have evolved specialized structures, such as otoliths in hair cells of the inner ear and statoliths in plants, to respond directly to the force of gravity. By conducting studies in the reduced gravity of spaceflight (microgravity) or simulating microgravity in the laboratory, we have gained insights into how gravity might have changed life on Earth. We review how microgravity affects prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells at the cellular and molecular levels. Genomic studies in yeast have identified changes in genes involved in budding, cell polarity, and cell separation regulated by Ras, PI3K, and TOR signaling pathways. Moreover, transcriptomic analysis of late pregnant rats have revealed that microgravity affects genes that regulate circadian clocks, activate mechanotransduction pathways, and induce changes in immune response, metabolism, and cells proliferation. Importantly, these studies identified genes that modify chromatin structure and methylation, suggesting that long-term adaptation to gravity may be mediated by epigenetic modifications. Given that gravity represents a modification in mechanical stresses encounter by the cells, the tensegrity model of cytoskeletal architecture provides an excellent paradigm to explain how changes in the balance of forces, which are transmitted across transmembrane receptors and cytoskeleton, can influence intracellular signaling pathways and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanbir Najrana
- Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island , Providence, RI , USA
| | - Juan Sanchez-Esteban
- Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island , Providence, RI , USA
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