What happens to the human body in space may help scientists create new anti-aging therapies.
UCF Professor Michal Masternak and his team have identified molecular changes in the liver that happen when space travers experience radiation and microgravity. These changes 麻豆精品 S� that resemble accelerated aging 麻豆精品 S� provide new insight into how prolonged space missions may increase health risks for astronauts and reveal potential targets for therapies that could combat age-related diseases on Earth.
麻豆精品 S淛ust 24 hours after radiation exposure, there are many genetic changes in the liver that are remarkably similar to what happens during aging. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Professor Michal Masternak
麻豆精品 S淲e focused on the liver because it is one of the major metabolic organs in our body, 麻豆精品 S� says Masternak, leader of the College of Medicine 麻豆精品 S檚 aging and space medicine research efforts. 麻豆精品 S淲hat we found was that just 24 hours after radiation exposure, there are many genetic changes in the liver that are remarkably similar to what happens during aging. We can assume that if someone were in space much longer, the damage could be much greater. 麻豆精品 S�
The findings were recently published in GeroScience.
Navigating the Science
For their study, UCF researchers and scientists from the U.S. created a simulated deep space environment in the lab. The team exposed animal models to simulated microgravity for 14 days and galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events at NASA Space Radiation Laboratory trying to mimic the dosage that astronauts would be exposed to during a trip to Mars.
The exposure triggered noticeable and potentially harmful changes in the liver, including increased cellular senescence (aging and decreased cell function), inflammation and fibrosis. Left untreated, these conditions can eventually lead to declining and even failing organ function.
The research team then compared their results with data collected from astronaut blood samples taken during the NASA Twins Study and Inspiration4 astronauts. They saw similar genetic changes in blood.
麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e got this raw data from human studies, and they show that some of these changes are similar, 麻豆精品 S� Masternak says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat tells us we 麻豆精品 S檙e identifying useful molecular targets that one day could help protect astronauts during long-duration space missions. 麻豆精品 S�
They also went a step further to see whether the changes could be treated. They identified a group of molecules known as antagomirs that alter several aging and inflammatory genetic pathways by interacting with the body 麻豆精品 S檚 microRNA. This system could pinpoint promising future therapies for space travelers.
Understanding Aging in the Space Age
Masternak says the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 growing space industry provides a unique opportunity to study aging at an accelerated pace.
麻豆精品 S淰ery often when we study different aging processes, it takes time, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淓ven in humans, it 麻豆精品 S檚 almost impossible because it would take decades. But if we see some acceleration of aging in space, then we can translate it to human studies. We can observe processes happening much faster, understand them better and eventually use that knowledge to improve health for people here on Earth. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚f we see some acceleration of aging in space, then … we can observe processes happening much faster, understand them better and eventually use that knowledge to improve health for people here on Earth. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Masternak
Those discoveries could eventually lead to therapies that slow age-related diseases, preserve organ function and improve quality of life for everyone as they age.
麻豆精品 S淥ur understanding of aging is very complex, 麻豆精品 S� Masternak says. 麻豆精品 S淎ging isn’t simply wrinkles or cosmetic changes. It 麻豆精品 S檚 the gradual and cascading failure of multiple organs and biological systems that happen at the same time. By understanding what starts that process and where it happens, we have a better chance of preventing many diseases before they develop. That is one of the biggest outstanding questions. 麻豆精品 S�
Students Positioned at the Forefront of Space Medicine
College of Medicine students are also benefitting from space medicine research. Biomedical sciences Ph.D. student Md Tanjim Alam 麻豆精品 S�25MS joined Masternak’s laboratory during his biotechnology master’s program after initially planning to study cancer in relation to aging biology. Then he was introduced to space medicine, including processing astronaut samples from commercial space travelers to study how extreme environments affect human biology. That research has inspired him.
麻豆精品 S淚 want to keep exploring the unknown, 麻豆精品 S� Alam says. 麻豆精品 S淚 really want to understand how space travel influences human health, particularly its effects on aging and cancer. 麻豆精品 S�
Biotechnology graduate student 厂补谤补丑&苍产蝉辫;厂.&苍产蝉辫;厂颈诲诲颈辩颈&苍产蝉辫; 麻豆精品 S�24&苍产蝉辫;says the interdisciplinary nature of the research attracted her to the space medicine and aging lab.
麻豆精品 S淲hen people think of aging, they think only about elderly populations, 麻豆精品 S� says Siddiqi, who earned her bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree as a Burnett Honors Scholar in biomedical sciences. 麻豆精品 S淏ut we study aging across different stages of life and different environments, including space. I’ll always be focused on improving quality of life. I want to better understand diseases that are increasingly prevalent and find ways to recognize them earlier, before they progress to later stages. 麻豆精品 S�
Funding and Disclosure:
Representing UCF, Natalie Hayslip 麻豆精品 S�24 served as first author, while Sarah Ashiqueali 麻豆精品 S�21MS 麻豆精品 S�24PhD, Xiang Zhu, Ridwan Hussein 麻豆精品 S�22 and Mishfak Mansoor also contributed to the research. Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also contributed.
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Award Number (FAIN): 2317758(MMM), Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer 麻豆精品 S檚 Disease Research Program of the Florida Department of Health, Public Health Research, Biomedical Research Program 24A12 (MMM), and the National Science Centre, Poland UMO-2023/51/B/NZ5/00498 (MMM).
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the awarding agencies.
