Project description:In recent times, long-term stay has become a common occurrence in the International Space Station (ISS). However, adaptation to the space environment can sometimes pose physiological problems to the astronauts after their return. Therefore, it is important to develop healthcare technologies for astronauts. In this study, hair, an easy-to-obtain sample, was identified as the candidate. In order to investigate the genetic changes in human hair during space flight, the hair follicles of 10 astronauts were analyzed by DNA microarray and real time q-PCR analyses. Space environment induced gene expression of hair follicles of astronaut was measured 6 differnent times included 2 in flight on orbit. Ten independent experiments were performed on differing astronauts. and the sampling day was differed for each astronaut because of their schedules.
Project description:In recent times, long-term stay has become a common occurrence in the International Space Station (ISS). However, adaptation to the space environment can sometimes pose physiological problems to the astronauts after their return. Therefore, it is important to develop healthcare technologies for astronauts. In this study, hair, an easy-to-obtain sample, was identified as the candidate. In order to investigate the genetic changes in human hair during space flight, the hair follicles of 10 astronauts were analyzed by DNA microarray and real time q-PCR analyses.
Project description:This experiment was launched on STS-129 in 2009 and was supported by NASA grant NNX07AH27G - Transgenic Plant Biomonitors of Space Flight Exposure to R.J. Ferl and A-L. Paul.<br><br>Life in spaceflight demonstrates remarkable adaptive processes within the specialized environments of space vehicles which are subject to the myriad of attending and unique environmental issues associated with orbital trajectories. To examine the adaptive processes that occur in plants in space, leaves and roots from Arabidopsis seedlings that were grown from seed for 12 days on the International Space Station and preserved on orbit in RNAlater were returned to earth and analyzed using iTRAQ broad scale proteomics procedures.
Project description:Among the physiological consequences of extended space flight are loss of skeletal muscle and bone mass. One signaling pathway that plays an important role in maintaining muscle and bone homeostasis is that regulated by the secreted signaling proteins, myostatin and activin A. Here, we used both pharmacological and genetic approaches to investigate the effect of targeting myostatin/activin A signaling in mice that were sent to the International Space Station. We show that inhibition of myostatin/activin A signaling has a significant protective effect against microgravity-induced muscle and bone loss. These findings have implications for therapeutic strategies to combat the concomitant muscle and bone loss occurring in people afflicted with disuse atrophy on Earth as well as in astronauts in space, especially during prolonged missions.
Project description:With extended stays aboard the International Space Station (ISS) becoming commonplace, there is a need to better understand the effects of microgravity on cardiac function. We utilized human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) to study the effects of microgravity on cell-level cardiac function and gene expression. The hiPSC-CMs were cultured aboard the ISS for 5.5 weeks and their gene expression, structure, and functions were compared to ground control hiPSC-CMs. Exposure to microgravity on the ISS caused alterations in hiPSC-CM calcium handling. RNA-sequencing analysis demonstrated 2,635 genes were differentially expressed among flight, post-flight, and ground control samples, including genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism. This study represents the first use of hiPSCs to model the effects of spaceflight on human cardiomyocyte structure and function.
Project description:Microgravity effect on C. elegans gene expression was analysed by whole genome microarray. The worms were cultivated under microgravity for 8days in the Japanese Module of the International Space Station.
Project description:Microgravity effect on C. elegans gene expression was analysed by whole genome microarray. The worms were cultivated under microgravity for 4 days in the Japanese Module of the International Space Station.
Project description:When germinated and grown on-board the ISS (International Space Station), plant do not exhibit abnormal structures but they do have altered growth habits and this project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms that provide the foundation for the altered growth habits observed in orbit. APEX03-2 (Advanced Plant Experiment 03-2), also known as TAGES-ISA (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System-Intracellular Signaling Architecture) specifically addresses the growth and molecular changes that occur in Arabidopsis thaliana plants during spaceflight by using molecular and genetic tools, and by asking fundamental questions regarding root structure, growth and cell wall remodeling may be answered. This investigation advances the fundamental understanding of the molecular biological responses to extraterrestrial environments. This understanding helps to further define the impacts of spaceflight on biological systems to better enable NASA’s future space exploration goals. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1059.html