In-Space Fabrication of Janus Base Nano-Matrix for Improved Assembly and Bioactivities.

In-space manufacturing of nanomaterials is a promising concept while having limited successful examples. DNA-inspired Janus base nanomaterials (JBNs), used for therapeutics delivery and tissue regeneration, are fabricated via a controlled self-assembly process in water at ambient temperature, making them highly suitable for in-space manufacturing. For the first time, we designed and accomplished the production of JBNs on orbit during the Axiom-2 (Ax-2) mission demonstrating great promising and benefits of in-space manufacturing of nanomaterials.

Bimetal Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Ni-Mn@Carbon/Reduced Graphene Oxide as a Cathode for an Asymmetric Supercapacitor with High Energy Density.

As is known, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a versatile class of materials in energy storage applications including supercapacitors. However, the individual kind of metal nodes connected by organic ligands to form a topological structure still limits the potential storage capacity of MOFs. Herein, a bimetal-based Ni-Mn MOF composite is configured with a one-pot hydrothermal method to derive a composite with a synergic effect to maximize the properties. Moreover, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets are added as a conductive network to anchor the MOF-derived composite of Ni-Mn@C/rGO, which is expected to increase the conductivity of the materials system. The resulting composite exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1674 F g-1 at a current density of 0.3 A g-1, suggesting excellent energy storage performance. The composite was then integrated as the cathode in an asymmetrical supercapacitor with a 3D rGO aerogel anode, resulting in energy densities of 24.1 and 17.5 W h kg-1 at power densities of 88.9 and 444.4 W kg-1, respectively. Additionally, the device demonstrated remarkable long-term stability, with 90% capacitance retention after 10 000 charge-discharge cycles at 10 A g-1.

Persistent changes in expression of genes involved in inflammation and fibrosis in the lungs of rats exposed to airborne lunar dust.

NASA is currently planning return missions to the Moon for further exploration and research. The Moon is covered by a layer of potentially reactive fine dust, which could pose a toxicological risk of exposure to explorers. To assess this risk, we exposed rats to lunar dust (LD) that was collected during the Apollo14 mission. Rats were exposed to respirable sizes of LD at concentrations of 0, 2.1, 6.8, 20.8, or 60.6 mg/m3 for 4 weeks. At thirteen weeks after exposure, we assessed 44,000 gene transcripts and found the expression of 614 genes with known functions were significantly altered in the rats exposed to the 2 higher concentrations of LD, whereas few changes in gene expression were detected in the group exposed to the lowest concentration of LD. Many of the significant changes in gene expression involved genes known to be associated with inflammation or fibrosis. Four genes encoding pro-inflammatory chemokines were analyzed further for all the sampling points at 1 day, and 1, 4, and 13 weeks after the 4-week dust exposure, using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of these genes was altered in a dose- and time-dependent manner and persistently changed in the lungs of the rats exposed to the two higher concentrations of LD. Their expressions are consistent with changes we detected in pulmonary toxicity biomarkers and pathology in these animals during a previous study. Because Apollo-14 LD contains common mineral oxides similar to an Arizona volcanic ash, besides revealing the toxicity of LD, our findings could help elucidate the genomic and molecular mechanisms involved in pulmonary toxicity induced by terrestrial mineral dusts.

DNA Damage and Radiosensitivity in Blood Cells from Subjects Undergoing 45 Days of Isolation and Confinement: An Explorative Study.

The effect of confined and isolated experience on astronauts' health is an important factor to consider for future space exploration missions. The more confined and isolated humans are, the more likely they are to develop negative behavioral or cognitive conditions such as a mood decline, sleep disorder, depression, fatigue and/or physiological problems associated with chronic stress. Molecular mediators of chronic stress, such as cytokines, stress hormones or reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to induce cellular damage including damage to the DNA. In view of the growing evidence of chronic stress-induced DNA damage, we conducted an explorative study and measured DNA strand breaks in 20 healthy adults. The participants were grouped into five teams (missions). Each team was composed of four participants, who spent 45 days in isolation and confinement in NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA). Endogenous DNA integrity, ex-vivo radiation-induced DNA damage and the rates of DNA repair were assessed every week. Our results show a high inter-individual variability as well as differences between the missions, which cannot be explained by inter-individual variability alone. The ages and sex of the participants did not appear to influence the results.

Response of Arabidopsis thaliana and Mizuna Mustard Seeds to Simulated Space Radiation Exposures.

One of the major concerns for long-term exploration missions beyond the Earth's magnetosphere is consequences from exposures to solar particle event (SPE) protons and galactic cosmic rays (GCR). For long-term crewed Lunar and Mars explorations, the production of fresh food in space will provide both nutritional supplements and psychological benefits to the astronauts. However, the effects of space radiation on plants and plant propagules have not been sufficiently investigated and characterized. In this study, we evaluated the effect of two different compositions of charged particles-simulated GCR, and simulated SPE protons on dry and hydrated seeds of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the crop plant Mizuna mustard [Brassica rapa var. japonica]. Exposures to charged particles, simulated GCRs (up to 80 cGy) or SPEs (up to 200 cGy), were performed either acutely or at a low dose rate using the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) facility at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL). Control and irradiated seeds were planted in a solid phytogel and grown in a controlled environment. Five to seven days after planting, morphological parameters were measured to evaluate radiation-induced damage in the seedlings. After exposure to single types of charged particles, as well as to simulated GCR, the hydrated Arabidopsis seeds showed dose- and quality-dependent responses, with heavier ions causing more severe defects. Seeds exposed to simulated GCR (dry seeds) and SPE (hydrated seeds) had significant, although much less damage than seeds exposed to heavier and higher linear energy transfer (LET) particles. In general, the extent of damage depends on the seed type.

Alterations in Saliva and Plasma Cytokine Concentrations During Long-Duration Spaceflight.

Long-duration spaceflight is known to cause immune dysregulation in astronauts. Biomarkers of immune system function are needed to determine both the need for and effectiveness of potential immune countermeasures for astronauts. Whereas plasma cytokine concentrations are a well-established biomarker of immune status, salivary cytokine concentrations are emerging as a sensitive indicator of stress and inflammation. For this study, to aid in characterizing immune dysregulation during spaceflight, plasma and saliva cytokines were monitored in astronauts before, during and after long-duration spaceflight onboard the International Space Station. Blood was collected from 13 astronauts at 3 timepoints before, 5 timepoints during and 3 timepoints after spaceflight. Saliva was collected from 6 astronauts at 2 timepoints before spaceflight, 2 timepoints during and 3 timepoints following spaceflight. Samples were analyzed using multiplex array technology. Significant increases in the plasma concentration of IL-3, IL-15, IL-12p40, IFN-α2, and IL-7 were observed during spaceflight compared to before flight baseline. Significant decreases in saliva GM-CSF, IL-12p70, IL-10 and IL-13 were also observed during spaceflight as compared to compared to before flight baseline concentrations. Additionally, plasma TGFß1 and TGFß2 concentrations tended to be consistently higher during spaceflight, although these did not reach statistical significance. Overall, the findings confirm an in-vivo hormonal dysregulation of immunity, appearing pro-inflammatory and Th1 in nature, persists during long-duration orbital spaceflight. These biomarkers may therefore have utility for monitoring the effectiveness of biomedical countermeasures for astronauts, with potential application in terrestrial research and medicine.

Predicting chromosome damage in astronauts participating in international space station missions.

Space radiation consists of energetic protons and other heavier ions. During the International Space Station program, chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes of astronauts have been analyzed to estimate received biological doses of space radiation. More specifically, pre-flight blood samples were exposed ex vivo to varying doses of gamma rays, while post-flight blood samples were collected shortly and several months after landing. Here, in a study of 43 crew-missions, we investigated whether individual radiosensitivity, as determined by the ex vivo dose-response of the pre-flight chromosome aberration rate (CAR), contributes to the prediction of the post-flight CAR incurred from the radiation exposure during missions. Random-effects Poisson regression was used to estimate subject-specific radiosensitivities from the preflight dose-response data, which were in turn used to predict post-flight CAR and subject-specific relative biological effectiveness (RBEs) between space radiation and gamma radiation. Covariates age, gender were also considered. Results indicate that there is predictive value in background CAR as well as radiosensitivity determined preflight for explaining individual differences in post-flight CAR over and above that which could be explained by BFO dose alone. The in vivo RBE for space radiation was estimated to be approximately 3 relative to the ex vivo dose response to gamma irradiation. In addition, pre-flight radiosensitivity tended to be higher for individuals having a higher background CAR, suggesting that individuals with greater radiosensitivity can be more sensitive to other environmental stressors encountered in daily life. We also noted that both background CAR and radiosensitivity tend to increase with age, although both are highly variable. Finally, we observed no significant difference between the observed CAR shortly after mission and at > 6 months post-mission.

Impact of galactic cosmic ray simulation on nutritional content of foods.

Foods packaged for future deep-space exploration missions may be prepositioned ahead of astronaut arrival and will be exposed to galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and solar radiation in deep space at higher levels and different spectrums than those found in low-Earth orbit (LEO). In this study, we have evaluated the impact of a GCR simulation (approximately 0.5 and 5 Gy doses) at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) on two retort thermostabilized food products that are good sources of radiation labile nutrients (thiamin, vitamin E, or unsaturated fats). No trends or nutritional differences were found between the radiation-treated samples and the control immediately after treatment or one-year after treatment. Small changes in a few nutrients were measured following one-year of storage. Further studies may be needed to confirm these results, as the foods in this study were heterogeneous, and this may have masked meaningful changes due to pouch-to-pouch variations.

Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing Identifies Activation of TP53 and STAT1 Pathways in Human T Lymphocyte Subpopulations in Response to Ex Vivo Radiation Exposure.

Detrimental health consequences from exposure to space radiation are a major concern for long-duration human exploration missions to the Moon or Mars. Cellular responses to radiation are expected to be heterogeneous for space radiation exposure, where only high-energy protons and other particles traverse a fraction of the cells. Therefore, assessing DNA damage and DNA damage response in individual cells is crucial in understanding the mechanisms by which cells respond to different particle types and energies in space. In this project, we identified a cell-specific signature for radiation response by using single-cell transcriptomics of human lymphocyte subpopulations. We investigated gene expression in individual human T lymphocytes 3 h after ex vivo exposure to 2-Gy gamma rays while using the single-cell sequencing technique (10X Genomics). In the process, RNA was isolated from ~700 irradiated and ~700 non-irradiated control cells, and then sequenced with ~50 k reads/cell. RNA in each of the cells was distinctively barcoded prior to extraction to allow for quantification for individual cells. Principal component and clustering analysis of the unique molecular identifier (UMI) counts classified the cells into three groups or sub-types, which correspond to CD4+, naïve, and CD8+/NK cells. Gene expression changes after radiation exposure were evaluated using negative binomial regression. On average, BBC3, PCNA, and other TP53 related genes that are known to respond to radiation in human T cells showed increased activation. While most of the TP53 responsive genes were upregulated in all groups of cells, the expressions of IRF1, STAT1, and BATF were only upregulated in the CD4+ and naïve groups, but were unchanged in the CD8+/NK group, which suggests that the interferon-gamma pathway does not respond to radiation in CD8+/NK cells. Thus, single-cell RNA sequencing technique was useful for simultaneously identifying the expression of a set of genes in individual cells and T lymphocyte subpopulation after gamma radiation exposure. The degree of dependence of UMI counts between pairs of upregulated genes was also evaluated to construct a similarity matrix for cluster analysis. The cluster analysis identified a group of TP53-responsive genes and a group of genes that are involved in the interferon gamma pathway, which demonstrate the potential of this method for identifying previously unknown groups of genes with similar expression patterns.

Carbon Nanotube Based γ Ray Detector.

A single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based γ ray detector is demonstrated without a conventional scintillation mechanism. The change in the conductance of a two terminal SWCNT resistor in response to γ ray exposure is exploited as a sensing mechanism. Radiation-induced ambient oxygen dissociation and subsequent adsorption of oxygen species on the SWCNT surface alter its electrical properties. The responses to the total dose and dose rate are investigated along with the sensing mechanism. The detector showed good sensitivity to γ ray and a capability to distinguish radiation dose rates ranging from 2.4 to 16.4 R/min.

Nanocarbon-Edge-Anchored High-Density Pt Atoms for 3-nitrostyrene Hydrogenation: Strong Metal-Carbon Interaction.

Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) has been widely used to improve catalytic performance and to identify reaction mechanisms. We report that single Pt atoms anchored onto hollow nanocarbon (h-NC) edges possess strong metal-carbon interaction, which significantly modifies the catalytic behavior of the anchored Pt atoms for selective hydrogenation reactions. The strong Pt-C bonding not only stabilizes single Pt atoms but also modifies their electronic structure, tunes their adsorption properties, and enhances activation of reactants. The fabricated Pt1/h-NC single-atom catalysts (SACs) demonstrated excellent activity for hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene to 3-vinylaniline with a turnover number >31,000/h, 20 times higher than that of the best catalyst for such selective hydrogenation reactions reported in the literature. The strategy to strongly anchor Pt atoms by edge carbon atoms of h-NCs is general and can be extended to construct strongly anchored metal atoms, via SMSI, onto surfaces of various types of support materials to develop robust SACs.

Synergistic Effects of Weightlessness, Isoproterenol, and Radiation on DNA Damage Response and Cytokine Production in Immune Cells.

The implementation of rotating-wall vessels (RWVs) for studying the effect of lack of gravity has attracted attention, especially in the fields of stem cells, tissue regeneration, and cancer research. Immune cells incubated in RWVs exhibit several features of immunosuppression including impaired leukocyte proliferation, cytokine responses, and antibody production. Interestingly, stress hormones influence cellular immune pathways affected by microgravity, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, DNA repair, and T cell activation. These pathways are crucial defense mechanisms that protect the cell from toxins, pathogens, and radiation. Despite the importance of the adrenergic receptor in regulating the immune system, the effect of microgravity on the adrenergic system has been poorly studied. Thus, we elected to investigate the synergistic effects of isoproterenol (a sympathomimetic drug), radiation, and microgravity in nonstimulated immune cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were treated with the sympathomimetic drug isoproterenol, exposed to 0.8 or 2 Gy γ-radiation, and incubated in RWVs. Mixed model regression analyses showed significant synergistic effects on the expression of the ß2-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2). Radiation alone increased ADRB2 expression, and cells incubated in microgravity had more DNA strand breaks than cells incubated in normal gravity. We observed radiation-induced cytokine production only in microgravity. Prior treatment with isoproterenol clearly prevents most of the microgravity-mediated effects. RWVs may be a useful tool to provide insight into novel regulatory pathways, providing benefit not only to astronauts but also to patients suffering from immune disorders or undergoing radiotherapy.

Hollow carbon anchored highly dispersed Pd species for selective hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene: metal-carbon interaction.

Constructing Pd-C bond between Pd particles and defective hollow nanocarbons (h-NCs) not only enables facile H2 dissociation but also diffusion of the dissociated H species, which makes the Pd/h-NC highly active with a TOF of 21 845 h-1 (>80 times higher than that of the best catalyst in literature), selective (97%), and stable (4 cycles) for selective hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene to 3-ethylnitrobenze.

Reactivation of Latent Epstein-Barr Virus: A Comparison after Exposure to Gamma, Proton, Carbon, and Iron Radiation.

Among the many stressors astronauts are exposed to during spaceflight, cosmic radiation may lead to various serious health effects. Specifically, space radiation may contribute to decreased immunity, which has been documented in astronauts during short- and long-duration missions, as evidenced by several changes in cellular immunity and plasma cytokine levels. Reactivation of latent herpes viruses, either directly from radiation of latently infected cells and/or from perturbation of the immune system, may result in disease in astronauts. Epstein‒Barr virus (EBV) is one of the eight human herpes viruses known to infect more than 90% of human adults and persists for the life of the host without normally causing adverse effects. Reactivation of several latent viruses in astronauts is well documented, although the mechanism of reactivation is not well understood. We studied the effect of four different types of radiation, (1) 137Cs gamma rays, (2) 150-MeV protons, (3) 600 MeV/n carbon ions, and (4) 600 MeV/n iron ions on the activation of lytic gene transcription and of reactivation of EBV in a latently infected cell line (Akata) at doses of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 Gy. The data showed that for all doses used in this study, lytic gene transcription was induced and median viral loads were significantly higher for all types of radiation than in corresponding control samples, with the increases detected as early as four days post-exposure and generally tapering off at later time points. The viability and size of EBV-infected Akata cells were highly variable and exhibited approximately the same trend in time for all radiation types at 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 Gy. This work shows that reactivation of viruses can occur due to the effect of different types of radiation on latently infected cells in the absence of changes or cytokines produced in the immune system. In general, gamma rays are more effective than protons, carbon ions, and iron ions in inducing latent virus reactivation, though these high-energy particles did induce more sustained and later reactivation of EBV lytic gene transcription. These findings also challenge the common relative biological effectiveness concept that is often used in radiobiology for other end points.

The degree of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks is altered by acute sleep deprivation and psychological stress and is associated with cognitive performance in humans.

Study Objectives: Sleep deprivation is associated with impaired immune responses, cancer, and morbidity and mortality, and can degrade cognitive performance, although individual differences exist in such responses. Sleep deprivation induces DNA strand breaks and DNA base oxidation in animals, and psychological stress is associated with increased DNA damage in humans. It remains unknown whether sleep deprivation or psychological stress in humans affects DNA damage response from environmental stressors, and whether these responses predict cognitive performance during sleep deprivation. Methods: Sixteen healthy adults (ages 29-52 years; mean age ± SD, 36.4 ± 7.1 years; seven women) participated in a 5-day experiment involving two 8 hr time-in-bed (TIB) baseline nights, followed by 39 hr total sleep deprivation (TSD), and two 8-10 hr TIB recovery nights. A modified Trier Social Stress Test was conducted on the day after TSD. The Psychomotor Vigilance Test measured behavioral attention. DNA damage was assessed in blood cells collected at 5 time points, and blood cells were irradiated ex vivo. Results: TSD, alone or in combination with psychological stress, did not induce significant increases in DNA damage. By contrast, radiation-induced DNA damage decreased significantly in response to TSD, but increased back to baseline when combined with psychological stress. Cognitively vulnerable individuals had more radiation-induced DNA strand breaks before TSD, indicating their greater sensitivity to DNA damage from environmental stressors. Conclusions: Our results provide novel insights into the molecular consequences of sleep deprivation, psychological stress, and performance vulnerability. They are important for fields involving sleep loss, radiation exposure, and cognitive deficits, including cancer therapy, environmental toxicology, and space medicine.

Apoptosis and expression of apoptosis-related genes in mouse intestinal tissue after whole-body proton exposure.

Energetic protons are the most abundant particle type in space and can pose serious health risks to astronauts during long-duration missions. The health effects of proton exposure are also a concern for cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment with accelerated protons. To investigate the damage induced by energetic protons in vivo to radiosensitive organs, 6-week-old BALB/c male mice were subjected to 250 MeV proton radiation at whole-body doses of 0.1, 1, and 2 Gy. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of each exposed animal was dissected 4 h post-irradiation, and the isolated small intestinal tissue was analyzed for histopathological and gene expression changes. Histopathologic observation of the tissue using standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining methods to screen for morphologic changes showed a marked increase in apoptotic lesions for even the lowest dose of 0.1 Gy, similar to X- or γ rays. The percentage of apoptotic cells increased dose-dependently, but the dose response appeared supralinear, indicating hypersensitivity at low doses. A significant decrease in surviving crypts and mucosal surface area, as well as in cell proliferation, was also observed in irradiated mice. Gene expression analysis of 84 genes involved in the apoptotic process showed that most of the genes affected by protons were common between the low (0.1 Gy) and high (1 and 2 Gy) doses. However, the genes that were distinctively responsive to the low or high doses suggest that high doses of protons may cause apoptosis in the small intestine by direct damage to the DNA, whereas low doses of protons may trigger apoptosis through a different stress response mechanism.

Combined Effects of Simulated Microgravity and Radiation Exposure on Osteoclast Cell Fusion.

The loss of bone mass and alteration in bone physiology during space flight are one of the major health risks for astronauts. Although the lack of weight bearing in microgravity is considered a risk factor for bone loss and possible osteoporosis, organisms living in space are also exposed to cosmic radiation and other environmental stress factors. As such, it is still unclear as to whether and by how much radiation exposure contributes to bone loss during space travel, and whether the effects of microgravity and radiation exposure are additive or synergistic. Bone is continuously renewed through the resorption of old bone by osteoclast cells and the formation of new bone by osteoblast cells. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of microgravity and radiation by evaluating the maturation of a hematopoietic cell line to mature osteoclasts. RAW 264.7 monocyte/macrophage cells were cultured in rotating wall vessels that simulate microgravity on the ground. Cells under static 1g or simulated microgravity were exposed to γ rays of varying doses, and then cultured in receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) for the formation of osteoclast giant multinucleated cells (GMCs) and for gene expression analysis. Results of the study showed that radiation alone at doses as low as 0.1 Gy may stimulate osteoclast cell fusion as assessed by GMCs and the expression of signature genes such as tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (Trap) and dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (Dcstamp). However, osteoclast cell fusion decreased for doses greater than 0.5 Gy. In comparison to radiation exposure, simulated microgravity induced higher levels of cell fusion, and the effects of these two environmental factors appeared additive. Interestingly, the microgravity effect on osteoclast stimulatory transmembrane protein (Ocstamp) and Dcstamp expressions was significantly higher than the radiation effect, suggesting that radiation may not increase the synthesis of adhesion molecules as much as microgravity.

Interplay of space radiation and microgravity in DNA damage and DNA damage response.

In space, multiple unique environmental factors, particularly microgravity and space radiation, pose constant threat to the DNA integrity of living organisms. Specifically, space radiation can cause damage to DNA directly, through the interaction of charged particles with the DNA molecules themselves, or indirectly through the production of free radicals. Although organisms have evolved strategies on Earth to confront such damage, space environmental conditions, especially microgravity, can impact DNA repair resulting in accumulation of severe DNA lesions. Ultimately these lesions, namely double strand breaks, chromosome aberrations, micronucleus formation, or mutations, can increase the risk for adverse health effects, such as cancer. How spaceflight factors affect DNA damage and the DNA damage response has been investigated since the early days of the human space program. Over the years, these experiments have been conducted either in space or using ground-based analogs. This review summarizes the evidence for DNA damage induction by space radiation and/or microgravity as well as spaceflight-related impacts on the DNA damage response. The review also discusses the conflicting results from studies aimed at addressing the question of potential synergies between microgravity and radiation with regard to DNA damage and cellular repair processes. We conclude that further experiments need to be performed in the true space environment in order to address this critical question.

Transcriptomics, NF-κB Pathway, and Their Potential Spaceflight-Related Health Consequences.

In space, living organisms are exposed to multiple stress factors including microgravity and space radiation. For humans, these harmful environmental factors have been known to cause negative health impacts such as bone loss and immune dysfunction. Understanding the mechanisms by which spaceflight impacts human health at the molecular level is critical not only for accurately assessing the risks associated with spaceflight, but also for developing effective countermeasures. Over the years, a number of studies have been conducted under real or simulated space conditions. RNA and protein levels in cellular and animal models have been targeted in order to identify pathways affected by spaceflight. Of the many pathways responsive to the space environment, the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) network appears to commonly be affected across many different cell types under the true or simulated spaceflight conditions. NF-κB is of particular interest, as it is associated with many of the spaceflight-related health consequences. This review intends to summarize the transcriptomics studies that identified NF-κB as a responsive pathway to ground-based simulated microgravity or the true spaceflight condition. These studies were carried out using either human cell or animal models. In addition, the review summarizes the studies that focused specifically on NF-κB pathway in specific cell types or organ tissues as related to the known spaceflight-related health risks including immune dysfunction, bone loss, muscle atrophy, central nerve system (CNS) dysfunction, and risks associated with space radiation. Whether the NF-κB pathway is activated or inhibited in space is dependent on the cell type, but the potential health impact appeared to be always negative. It is argued that more studies on NF-κB should be conducted to fully understand this particular pathway for the benefit of crew health in space.

Cellular responses and gene expression profile changes due to bleomycin-induced DNA damage in human fibroblasts in space.

Living organisms in space are constantly exposed to radiation, toxic chemicals or reactive oxygen species generated due to increased levels of environmental and psychological stresses. Understanding the impact of spaceflight factors, microgravity in particular, on cellular responses to DNA damage is essential for assessing the radiation risk for astronauts and the mutation rate in microorganisms. In a study conducted on the International Space Station, confluent human fibroblasts in culture were treated with bleomycin for three hours in the true microgravity environment. The degree of DNA damage was quantified by immunofluorescence staining for γ-H2AX, which is manifested in three types of staining patterns. Although similar percentages of these types of patterns were found between flight and ground cells, there was a slight shift in the distribution of foci counts in the flown cells with countable numbers of γ-H2AX foci. Comparison of the cells in confluent and in exponential growth conditions indicated that the proliferation rate between flight and the ground may be responsible for such a shift. We also performed a microarray analysis of gene expressions in response to bleomycin treatment. A qualitative comparison of the responsive pathways between the flown and ground cells showed similar responses with the p53 network being the top upstream regulator. The microarray data was confirmed with a PCR array analysis containing a set of genes involved in DNA damage signaling; with BBC3, CDKN1A, PCNA and PPM1D being significantly upregulated in both flight and ground cells after bleomycin treatment. Our results suggest that whether microgravity affects DNA damage response in space can be dependent on the cell type and cell growth condition.