Multi-omic, Single-Cell, and Biochemical Profiles of Astronauts Guide Pharmacological Strategies for Returning to Gravity. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Twins Study created an integrative molecular profile of an astronaut during NASA's first 1-year mission on the International Space Station (ISS) and included comparisons to an identical Earth-bound twin. The unique biochemical profiles observed when landing on Earth after such a long mission (e.g., spikes in interleukin-1 [IL-1]/6/10, c-reactive protein [CRP], C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 [CCL2], IL-1 receptor antagonist [IL-1ra], and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) opened new questions about the human body's response to gravity and how to plan for future astronauts, particularly around initiation or resolution of inflammation. Here, single-cell, multi-omic (100-plex epitope profile and gene expression) profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) showed changes to blood cell composition and gene expression post-flight, specifically for monocytes and dendritic cell precursors. These were consistent with flight-induced cytokine and immune system stress, followed by skeletal muscle regeneration in response to gravity. Finally, we examined these profiles relative to 6-month missions in 28 other astronauts and detail potential pharmacological interventions for returning to gravity in future missions.

authors

  • Gertz, Monica
  • Chin, Christopher R
  • Tomoiaga, Delia
  • MacKay, Matthew
  • Chang, Christina
  • Butler, Daniel
  • Afshinnekoo, Ebrahim
  • Bezdan, Daniela
  • Schmidt, Michael A
  • Mozsary, Christopher
  • Melnick, Ari M.
  • Garrett-Bakelman, Francine
  • Crucian, Brian
  • Lee, Stuart M C
  • Zwart, Sara R
  • Smith, Scott M
  • Meydan, Cem
  • Mason, Christopher E

publication date

  • November 25, 2020

Research

keywords

  • Astronauts
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation
  • Space Flight
  • Weightlessness

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC9444344

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85097462723

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1101/2020.11.10.374645v1

PubMed ID

  • 33242408

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 33

issue

  • 10