1
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li N, Wang H, Xin S, Min R, Zhang Y, Deng Y. Confinement induces oxidative damage and synaptic dysfunction in mice. Front Physiol 2022; 13:999574. [PMID: 36505063 PMCID: PMC9729776 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.999574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A confined environment is an enclosed area where entry or exit is highly restricted, which is a risk factor for a work crew's mental health. Previous studies have shown that a crew is more susceptible to developing anxiety or depression in a confined environment. However, the underlying mechanism by which negative emotion is induced by confinement is not fully understood. Hence, in this study, mice were retained in a tube to simulate short-term confinement. The mice exhibited depressive-like behavior. Additionally, the levels of H2O2 and malondialdehyde in the prefrontal cortex were significantly increased in the confinement group. Furthermore, a label-free quantitative proteomic strategy was applied to analyze the abundance of proteins in the prefrontal cortex of mice. A total of 71 proteins were considered differentially abundant proteins among 3,023 identified proteins. Two differentially abundant proteins, superoxide dismutase [Mn] and syntaxin-1A, were also validated by a parallel reaction monitoring assay. Strikingly, the differentially abundant proteins were highly enriched in the respiratory chain, oxidative phosphorylation, and the synaptic vesicle cycle, which might lead to oxidative damage and synaptic dysfunction. The results of this study provide valuable information to better understand the mechanisms of depressive-like behavior induced by confined environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuomin Li
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shuchen Xin
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Min
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqian Zhang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Yongqian Zhang,
| | - Yulin Deng
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China,School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China,Beijing Key Laboratory for Separation and Analysis in Biomedicine and Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hao Y, Lu L, Liu A, Lin X, Xiao L, Kong X, Li K, Liang F, Xiong J, Qu L, Li Y, Li J. Integrating bioinformatic strategies in spatial life science research. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:bbac415. [PMID: 36198665 PMCID: PMC9677476 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As space exploration programs progress, manned space missions will become more frequent and farther away from Earth, putting a greater emphasis on astronaut health. Through the collaborative efforts of researchers from various countries, the effect of the space environment factors on living systems is gradually being uncovered. Although a large number of interconnected research findings have been produced, their connection seems to be confused, and many unknown effects are left to be discovered. Simultaneously, several valuable data resources have emerged, accumulating data measuring biological effects in space that can be used to further investigate the unknown biological adaptations. In this review, the previous findings and their correlations are sorted out to facilitate the understanding of biological adaptations to space and the design of countermeasures. The biological effect measurement methods/data types are also organized to provide references for experimental design and data analysis. To aid deeper exploration of the data resources, we summarized common characteristics of the data generated from longitudinal experiments, outlined challenges or caveats in data analysis and provided corresponding solutions by recommending bioinformatics strategies and available models/tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Hao
- Key Laboratory of DGHD, MOE, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liang Lu
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Anna Liu
- Key Laboratory of DGHD, MOE, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xue Lin
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Xiao
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Xiaoyue Kong
- Key Laboratory of DGHD, MOE, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Fengji Liang
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Jianghui Xiong
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Lina Qu
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Yinghui Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, No. 26 Beiqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of DGHD, MOE, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li H, Xue YW, Quan Y, Zhang HY. Reducing Virus Infection Risk in Space Environments through Nutrient Supplementation. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1536. [PMID: 36140704 PMCID: PMC9498414 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Space exploration has brought many challenges to human physiology. In order to evaluate and reduce possible pathological reactions triggered by space environments, we conducted bioinformatics analyses on the methylation data of the Mars 520 mission and human transcriptome data in the experiment simulating gravity changes. The results suggest that gene expression levels and DNA methylation levels were changed under the conditions of isolation and gravity changes, and multiple viral infection-related pathways were found in the enrichment analysis results of changed genes including Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KHSV) infection. In this study, we found that Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and vitamin D are helpful in reducing viral infection risk. In addition, the causal associations between nutrients and viral infections were calculated using Two sample Mendelian Randomization (2SMR) method, the results indicated that vitamin D can reduce EBV infection and HBV infection risk. In summary, our study suggests that space environments increase the risk of human viral infection, which may be reduced by supplementing EGCG and vitamin D. These results can be used to formulate medical plans for astronauts, which have practical application value for future space exploration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yuan Quan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hou F, Zhou X, Zhou S, Liu H, Huang YE, Yuan M, Zhu J, Cao X, Jiang W. DNA Methylation Dynamics Associated with Long-term Isolation of Simulated Space Travel. iScience 2022; 25:104493. [PMID: 35712082 PMCID: PMC9194130 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104493] [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: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term isolation is one of the risk factors that astronauts will encounter in spaceflight. At present, few researches have explored DNA methylation dynamics during long-term isolation. In this study, using time series DNA methylation data from “Mars-500” mission, we conducted a multi-step analysis to investigate the characteristics and dynamic patterns of DNA methylation as well as their functional insights during long-term isolation. The results showed that genome-wide methylation changes were minimal. In the six identified DNA methylation dynamic patterns, most of significantly fluctuating CpG sites could be returned to the baseline in post-isolation, and the remaining sites persistently decreased during isolation. Next, functional enrichment analysis of genes with each pattern revealed strong functional specificity. Some patterns were also significantly associated with nervous system diseases, digestive system diseases and cancers. In conclusion, the DNA methylation dynamics during long-term isolation have great functional significance, and might be helpful for protection of astronaut health. Six dynamic patterns of DNA methylation were identified during long-term isolation Most of significantly fluctuating methylation sites recovered in post-isolation Six patterns showed strong functional specificity Genes with decreased methylation levels might be associated with tumor
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Hou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Shunheng Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Haizhou Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Yu-e Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Mengqin Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Jicun Zhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Xinyu Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
- Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fernández-Carrión R, Sorlí JV, Coltell O, Pascual EC, Ortega-Azorín C, Barragán R, Giménez-Alba IM, Alvarez-Sala A, Fitó M, Ordovas JM, Corella D. Sweet Taste Preference: Relationships with Other Tastes, Liking for Sugary Foods and Exploratory Genome-Wide Association Analysis in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome. Biomedicines 2021; 10:biomedicines10010079. [PMID: 35052758 PMCID: PMC8772854 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Taste perception and its association with nutrition and related diseases (type 2 diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular, etc.) are emerging fields of biomedicine. There is currently great interest in investigating the environmental and genetic factors that influence sweet taste and sugary food preferences for personalized nutrition. Our aims were: (1) to carry out an integrated analysis of the influence of sweet taste preference (both in isolation and in the context of other tastes) on the preference for sugary foods and its modulation by type 2 diabetes status; (2) as well as to explore new genetic factors associated with sweet taste preference. We studied 425 elderly white European subjects with metabolic syndrome and analyzed taste preference, taste perception, sugary-foods liking, biochemical and genetic markers. We found that type 2 diabetic subjects (38%) have a small, but statistically higher preference for sweet taste (p = 0.021) than non-diabetic subjects. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in preferences for the other tastes (bitter, salty, sour or umami) were detected. For taste perception, type 2 diabetic subjects have a slightly lower perception of all tastes (p = 0.026 for the combined “total taste score”), bitter taste being statistically lower (p = 0.023). We also carried out a principal component analysis (PCA), to identify latent variables related to preferences for the five tastes. We identified two factors with eigenvalues >1. Factor 2 was the one with the highest correlation with sweet taste preference. Sweet taste preference was strongly associated with a liking for sugary foods. In the exploratory SNP-based genome-wide association study (GWAS), we identified some SNPs associated with sweet taste preference, both at the suggestive and at the genome-wide level, especially a lead SNP in the PTPRN2 (Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type N2) gene, whose minor allele was associated with a lower sweet taste preference. The PTPRN2 gene was also a top-ranked gene obtained in the gene-based exploratory GWAS analysis. In conclusion, sweet taste preference was strongly associated with sugary food liking in this population. Our exploratory GWAS identified an interesting candidate gene related with sweet taste preference, but more studies in other populations are required for personalized nutrition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Fernández-Carrión
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
| | - Jose V. Sorlí
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
| | - Oscar Coltell
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
- Department of Computer Languages and Systems, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellon, Spain
| | - Eva C. Pascual
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
| | - Carolina Ortega-Azorín
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
| | - Rocío Barragán
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
- Sleep Center of Excellence, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ignacio M. Giménez-Alba
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
| | - Andrea Alvarez-Sala
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
| | - Montserrat Fitó
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
- Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group (CARIN), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose M. Ordovas
- Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA;
- Nutritional Genomics and Epigenomics Group, IMDEA Alimentación, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolores Corella
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (R.F.-C.); (J.V.S.); (E.C.P.); (C.O.-A.); (R.B.); (I.M.G.-A.); (A.A.-S.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (M.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-96-386-4800
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression analyses in monozygotic twins identify potential biomarkers of depression. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:416. [PMID: 34341332 PMCID: PMC8329295 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01536-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is currently the leading cause of disability around the world. We conducted an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) in a sample of 58 depression score-discordant monozygotic twin pairs, aiming to detect specific epigenetic variants potentially related to depression and further integrate with gene expression profile data. Association between the methylation level of each CpG site and depression score was tested by applying a linear mixed effect model. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed for gene expression data. The association of DNA methylation levels of 66 CpG sites with depression score reached the level of P < 1 × 10-4. These top CpG sites were located at 34 genes, especially PTPRN2, HES5, GATA2, PRDM7, and KCNIP1. Many ontology enrichments were highlighted, including Notch signaling pathway, Huntington disease, p53 pathway by glucose deprivation, hedgehog signaling pathway, DNA binding, and nucleic acid metabolic process. We detected 19 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), some of which were located at GRIK2, DGKA, and NIPA2. While integrating with gene expression data, HELZ2, PTPRN2, GATA2, and ZNF624 were differentially expressed. In WGCNA, one specific module was positively correlated with depression score (r = 0.62, P = 0.002). Some common genes (including BMP2, PRDM7, KCNIP1, and GRIK2) and enrichment terms (including complement and coagulation cascades pathway, DNA binding, neuron fate specification, glial cell differentiation, and thyroid gland development) were both identified in methylation analysis and WGCNA. Our study identifies specific epigenetic variations which are significantly involved in regions, functional genes, biological function, and pathways that mediate depression disorder.
Collapse
|
8
|
Shi Z, Qin M, Huang L, Xu T, Chen Y, Hu Q, Peng S, Peng Z, Qu LN, Chen SG, Tuo QH, Liao DF, Wang XP, Wu RR, Yuan TF, Li YH, Liu XM. Human torpor: translating insights from nature into manned deep space expedition. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:642-672. [PMID: 33314677 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During a long-duration manned spaceflight mission, such as flying to Mars and beyond, all crew members will spend a long period in an independent spacecraft with closed-loop bioregenerative life-support systems. Saving resources and reducing medical risks, particularly in mental heath, are key technology gaps hampering human expedition into deep space. In the 1960s, several scientists proposed that an induced state of suppressed metabolism in humans, which mimics 'hibernation', could be an ideal solution to cope with many issues during spaceflight. In recent years, with the introduction of specific methods, it is becoming more feasible to induce an artificial hibernation-like state (synthetic torpor) in non-hibernating species. Natural torpor is a fascinating, yet enigmatic, physiological process in which metabolic rate (MR), body core temperature (Tb ) and behavioural activity are reduced to save energy during harsh seasonal conditions. It employs a complex central neural network to orchestrate a homeostatic state of hypometabolism, hypothermia and hypoactivity in response to environmental challenges. The anatomical and functional connections within the central nervous system (CNS) lie at the heart of controlling synthetic torpor. Although progress has been made, the precise mechanisms underlying the active regulation of the torpor-arousal transition, and their profound influence on neural function and behaviour, which are critical concerns for safe and reversible human torpor, remain poorly understood. In this review, we place particular emphasis on elaborating the central nervous mechanism orchestrating the torpor-arousal transition in both non-flying hibernating mammals and non-hibernating species, and aim to provide translational insights into long-duration manned spaceflight. In addition, identifying difficulties and challenges ahead will underscore important concerns in engineering synthetic torpor in humans. We believe that synthetic torpor may not be the only option for manned long-duration spaceflight, but it is the most achievable solution in the foreseeable future. Translating the available knowledge from natural torpor research will not only benefit manned spaceflight, but also many clinical settings attempting to manipulate energy metabolism and neurobehavioural functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Shi
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and Department of Psychaitry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.,Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China.,State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Meng Qin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Lu Huang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qin Hu
- College of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100024, China
| | - Sha Peng
- Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China
| | - Zhuang Peng
- Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China
| | - Li-Na Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Shan-Guang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Qin-Hui Tuo
- Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China
| | - Duan-Fang Liao
- Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and Department of Psychaitry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Ren-Rong Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and Department of Psychaitry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Ti-Fei Yuan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226000, China
| | - Ying-Hui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Xin-Min Liu
- Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China.,State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China.,Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Nwanaji-Enwerem JC, Nwanaji-Enwerem U, Van Der Laan L, Galazka JM, Redeker NS, Cardenas A. A Longitudinal Epigenetic Aging and Leukocyte Analysis of Simulated Space Travel: The Mars-500 Mission. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108406. [PMID: 33242403 PMCID: PMC7786521 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Astronauts undertaking long-duration space missions may be vulnerable to unique stressors that can impact human aging. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the relationship of mission duration with DNA-methylation-based biomarkers of aging in astronauts. Using data from the six participants of the Mars-500 mission, a high-fidelity 520-day ground simulation experiment, we tested relationships of mission duration with five longitudinally measured blood DNA-methylation-based metrics: DNAmGrimAge, DNAmPhenoAge, DNA-methylation-based estimator of telomere length (DNAmTL), mitotic divisions (epigenetic mitotic clock [epiTOC2]), and pace of aging (PoA). We provide evidence that, relative to baseline, mission duration was associated with significant decreases in epigenetic aging. However, only decreases in DNAmPhenoAge remained significant 7 days post-mission. We also observed significant changes in estimated proportions of plasmablasts, CD4T, CD8 naive, and natural killer (NK) cells. Only decreases in NK cells remained significant post-mission. If confirmed more broadly, these findings contribute insights to improve the understanding of the biological aging implications for individuals experiencing long-duration space travel. Long-duration space travel is marked by a unique combination of stressors known to impact human aging. Using data from six participants of the Mars-500 mission, a high-fidelity 520-day ground simulation experiment, Nwanaji-Enwerem et al. report significant associations of mission duration with decreased biological aging measured via blood DNA methylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamaji C Nwanaji-Enwerem
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and MD/PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | | | - Lars Van Der Laan
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | | | - Andres Cardenas
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liang F, Quan Y, Wu A, Chen Y, Xu R, Zhu Y, Xiong J. Insulin-resistance and depression cohort data mining to identify nutraceutical related DNA methylation biomarker for type 2 diabetes. Genes Dis 2020; 8:669-676. [PMID: 34291138 PMCID: PMC8278533 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin-resistance (IR) is one of the most important precursors of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recent evidence suggests an association of depression with the onset of T2D. Accumulating evidence shows that depression and T2D share common biological origins, and DNA methylation examination might reveal the link between lifestyle, disease risk, and potential therapeutic targets for T2D. Here we hypothesize that integrative mining of IR and depression cohort data will facilitate predictive biomarkers identification for T2D. We utilized a newly proposed method to extract gene-level information from probe level data on genome-wide DNA methylation array. We identified a set of genes associated with IR and depression in clinical cohorts. By overlapping the IR-related nutraceutical-gene network with depression networks, we identified a common subnetwork centered with Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene. Preliminary clinical validation of gene methylation set in a small cohort of T2D patients and controls was established using the Sequenome matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time flight mass spectrometry. A set of sites in the promoter regions of VDR showed a significant difference between T2D patients and controls. Using a logistic regression model, the optimal prediction performance of these sites was AUC = 0.902,and an odds ratio = 19.76. Thus, monitoring the methylation status of specific VDR promoter region might help stratify the high-risk individuals who could potentially benefit from vitamin D dietary supplementation. Our results highlight the link between IR and depression, and the DNA methylation analysis might facilitate the search for their shared mechanisms in the etiology of T2D.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fengji Liang
- Lab of Epigenetics and Advanced Health Technology, SPACEnter Space Science and Technology Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518117, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, PR China
| | - Yuan Quan
- Lab of Epigenetics and Advanced Health Technology, SPACEnter Space Science and Technology Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518117, PR China.,School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518055, PR China
| | - Andong Wu
- Lab of Epigenetics and Advanced Health Technology, SPACEnter Space Science and Technology Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518117, PR China
| | - Ying Chen
- Lab of Epigenetics and Advanced Health Technology, SPACEnter Space Science and Technology Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518117, PR China
| | - Ruifeng Xu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518055, PR China
| | - Yuexing Zhu
- Lab of Epigenetics and Advanced Health Technology, SPACEnter Space Science and Technology Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518117, PR China
| | - Jianghui Xiong
- Lab of Epigenetics and Advanced Health Technology, SPACEnter Space Science and Technology Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518117, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, PR China
| |
Collapse
|