Simulated Microgravity Impairs Cardiac Autonomic Neurogenesis from Neural Crest Cells.

ABSTRACT: Microgravity-induced alterations in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) contribute to derangements in both the mechanical and electrophysiological function of the cardiovascular system, leading to severe symptoms in humans following space travel. Because the ANS forms embryonically from neural crest (NC) progenitors, we hypothesized that microgravity can impair NC-derived cardiac structures. Accordingly, we conducted in vitro simulated microgravity experiments employing NC genetic lineage tracing in mice with cKitCreERT2/+, Isl1nLacZ, and Wnt1-Cre reporter alleles. Inducible fate mapping in adult mouse hearts and pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) demonstrated reduced cKitCreERT2/+-mediated labeling of both NC-derived cardiomyocytes and autonomic neurons (P < 0.0005 vs. controls). Whole transcr

SUBMITTER: Hatzistergos KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5995268 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature