npj Microgravity最新文献

{"title":"Microgravity alleviates low-dose radiation-induced non-targeted carcinogenic effects.","authors":"Yunan Ding, Ying Xu, Xiaofei Wang, Miaomiao Zhang, Qi Zeng, Congchong Yan, Guangming Zhou, Wentao Hu","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00484-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00484-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The main hazards astronauts face in space collectively affect their health, especially increasing the carcinogenesis risk. However, it is still unclear how these hazards, especially microgravity and space radiation, induce the carcinogenic transformation of normal cells. In the simulated microgravity (SMG) environment, although radiation could inhibit SMG-accentuated target cell proliferation, increase genomic instability (GI) and carcinogenic transformation rate dose-dependently, we found that for bystander cells, radiation-induced damage could be reduced, GI and the probability of carcinogenic transformation could also be decreased at lower doses (below 0.1 Gy for X-rays and 0.3 Gy for carbon ions). After filtration and KEGG analysis, five differentially expressed genes (DEGs) relating to carcinogenesis were screened out from the transcriptomic sequencing results. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) from NCI, we found that AREG was closely related to the occurrence and development of lung cancer. Using AREG knockdown or overexpression cell lines, we further validated the significant correlation between abnormal expression of AREG and GI. Our findings indicate that AREG plays a substantial role in GI and carcinogenic transformation following exposure to SMG and radiation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174362/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the potential of a bioassembler for protein crystallization in space.","authors":"Christopher MacCarthy, Elizaveta Koudan, Mikhail Shevtsov, Vladislav Parfenov, Stanislav Petrov, Aleksandr Levin, Fedor Senatov, Nina Sykilinda, Sergey Ostrovskiy, Stanislav Pekov, Ivan Gushchin, Igor Popov, Egor Zinovev, Andrey Bogorodskiy, Alexey Mishin, Valentin Ivanovich, Andrey Rogachev, Yusef Khesuani, Valentin Borshchevskiy","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00477-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00477-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Protein crystallization holds paramount significance in structural biology, serving as a pivotal technique for unveiling the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of proteins. While microgravity conditions in space offer distinct advantages for high-quality protein crystal growth by mitigating the influences of gravity and convection, the development of reliable techniques for protein crystallization in space with precise control over the crystallization process and its meticulous inspections remains a challenge. In this study, we present an innovative bioassembler-specifically, the 'Organ.Aut'-which we successfully employed to crystallize protein in space. The bioassembler 'Organ.Aut' produced highly ordered crystals diffracted to a true-atomic resolution of ∼1 Å. These data allowed for a detailed examination of atomic structures, enabling thorough structural comparisons with crystals grown on Earth. Our finding suggests that the bioassembler 'Organ.Aut' stands as a promising and viable option for advancing protein crystallization in space.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12167385/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144295292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex-specific immune alterations in mice following long-term simulated microgravity and chronic irradiation.","authors":"Edith Nathalie Pineda, Bernice Nounamo, Ruofei Du, Enoch K Larrey, Cordell Gilreath, Harrison Cook, Marjan Boerma, Igor Koturbash, Rupak Pathak","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00480-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00480-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Given NASA's plans for manned lunar and Mars missions, it is critical to assess the risk of splenic immune dysregulation by using ground-based models of simulated microgravity (SMG) and/or chronic irradiation (CIR). To address this, C57BL/6 J mice of both sexes exposed to SMG and/or CIR for 29 days and alterations in immune cell distribution, function and phenotype were assessed. SMG and/or CIR altered a greater variety of immune cells in both lymphoid and myeloid lineages in female mice than in male mice; the function of splenic CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, and CD19 + B cells altered in a sex-specific manner; and the distribution of different immune cells altered based on animal sex. These findings indicate that SMG and/or CIR alter the splenic immune cell distribution, phenotype and function in a sex-specific manner, underscoring the need for tailored strategies to mitigate health risks for crew members on long-term deep-space missions.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"24"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12162859/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144287130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reducing motion sickness during simulated astronaut post-spaceflight water landings using anticipatory cues or postural control.","authors":"Taylor L Lonner, Aaron R Allred, Aadhit R Gopinath, Tori Morgheim, Eric L Groen, Charles M Oman, Paul DiZio, Ben D Lawson, Saige R Drecksler, Torin K Clark","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00478-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00478-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Astronauts returning to Earth after adapting to microgravity are susceptible to Entry Motion Sickness while they are readapting to 1G. We assessed the efficacy of two countermeasures in reducing the incidence and severity of motion sickness symptoms using a series of ground-based analogs meant to simulate the scenario of a post-spaceflight water landing: one hour of habituation to 2Gx centrifugation followed by up to an hour of passive wave-like motion at 1 G. The first countermeasure provided rich visual cues of current self-motion overlaid with anticipatory cues of self-motion one second in the future, presented in virtual reality with the subject's head and torso restrained. The second countermeasure encouraged active postural control by instructing subjects to keep their unrestrained head aligned with Earth-vertical during wave-like motion. Both groups were compared to a control group that did not receive any Earth-fixed visual cues and had the head and torso restrained. As a secondary metric, we also considered how these countermeasures impacted vestibular-mediated standing balance performance. While the multi-symptom Motion Sickness Questionnaire scores did not significantly differ between the three groups, the development of gastrointestinal symptoms was diminished for the anticipatory visual cues group compared to the control ( <math><mrow><mi>p</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>0.03</mn></mrow> </math> ) and active posture ( <math><mrow><mi>p</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>0.02</mn></mrow> </math> ) groups. Additionally, the anticipatory cues group was significantly more likely to tolerate the full period of wave-like motion (90% of subjects with cues vs. 33% without, <math><mrow><mi>p</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>0.017</mn></mrow> </math> ). Finally, across all three groups, subjects had significantly increased sway ( <math><mrow><mi>p</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>0.0002</mn></mrow> </math> ) following wave-like motion, which returned to a baseline equivalency after an hour of recovery. Enabling the brain to form a better expectation of sensory stimulation, anticipatory cues reduce the incidence of nausea, which may be beneficial for motion sickness in astronauts, as well as here on Earth.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"21"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12130277/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the relationship between intracranial pressure and spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS): a systematic review.","authors":"Gabriela Alves Rodrigues, Thais Russomano, Edson Santos Oliveira","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00464-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00464-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neuro-ocular changes, such as globe flattening, optic disc edema or chorioretinal folds, are a major worry when considering astronaut health. These findings are now known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome. This systematic review aims to discuss the possible mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Contemplating the different reports regarding the impact of intracranial pressure (ICP), cardiovascular system, hypercapnia or glymphatic system, we hypothesize that a relationship exists between variations in ICP and SANS development. A literature search of five databases was conducted using the PICO model. Twenty studies were subsequently included, and two main theories discussed. The first suggests that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shifts can lead to a rise in ICP, while the second supports the importance of CSF compartmentalization, independently of ICP variation. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive and environmental factors may also be essential for the development of this syndrome.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12130532/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Raman spectroscopy as a tool for assessing plant growth in space and on lunar regolith simulants.","authors":"Axell Rodriguez, Borja Barbero Barcenilla, Emily Hall, Ishan Kundel, Alexander Meyers, Sarah Wyatt, Dorothy Shippen, Dmitry Kurouski","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00479-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00479-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Colonization of the Moon and other planets is an aspiration of NASA and may yield important benefits for our civilization. The feasibility of such endeavors depends on both innovative engineering concepts and the successful adaptation of life forms that exist on Earth to inhospitable environments. In this study, we investigate the potential of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in a non-invasive and non-destructive assessment of changes in the biochemistry of plants exposed to zero gravity on the International Space Station and during growth on lunar regolith simulants on Earth. We report that RS can sense changes in plant carotenoids, pectin, cellulose, and phenolics, which in turn, could be used to gauge the degree of plant stress in new environments. Our findings also demonstrate that RS can monitor the efficiency of soil supplements that can be used to mitigate nutrient-free regolith media. We conclude that RS can serve as a highly efficient approach for monitoring plant health in exotic environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12117163/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144163796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adoption of microfluidic MEA technology for electrophysiology of 3D neuronal networks exposed to suborbital conditions.","authors":"Andie E Padilla, Gobinath C, Candice Hovell, Jeremy Mares, Veerle Reumers, Twyman Clements, Jason Rextroat, Paul Gamble, Ben Lumpp, Binata Joddar","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00476-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00476-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studying neuronal cells in space reveals how microgravity affects brain function, gene expression, and cellular processes. This study details the preparation and validation of a 3D neuronal electrophysiology (EPHYS) sensing microfluidic biodevice used during a suborbital space flight. Initially, the device's function was tested with rat hippocampal neurons using EPHYS data collected via a microelectrode array (MEA). This system was later applied to human glutamatergic (Glu) neurons for eight days preceding a suborbital flight. A live-dead assay confirmed cell viability, and the system was integrated into a CubeLab to maintain a controlled environment. Two biological samples were flown, along with two control samples, to validate the EPHYS system. Results showed that human Glu-neurons exposed to microgravity exhibited altered expression of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) while maintaining neuronal differentiation markers. The findings contribute to understanding neurological disorders, neuro-inflammation, and cognitive impacts of space travel, with broader applications for brain health research on Earth.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"20"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12117052/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144163742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Survival strategies of Rhinocladiella similis in perchlorate-rich Mars like environments.","authors":"Alef Dos Santos, Júnia Schultz, Felipe Oliveira Souza, Lucas Rodrigues Ribeiro, Thiago Verano Braga, Eduardo Jorge Pilau, Edson Rodrigues-Filho, Alexandre Soares Rosado","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00475-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00475-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studying the survival of terrestrial microorganisms under Martian conditions, particularly in the presence of perchlorates, provides crucial insights for astrobiology. This research investigates the resilience of the extremophile black fungus Rhinocladiella similis to magnesium perchlorate and UV-C radiation. Results show R. similis, known for its tolerance to acidic conditions, exhibits remarkable resistance to UV-C radiation combined with perchlorate, as well as to high concentrations of magnesium perchlorate, surpassing Exophiala sp. strain 15Lv1, a eukaryotic model organism for Mars-like conditions. Growth curve analyses revealed both strains can thrive in perchlorate concentrations mimicking Martian perchlorate-rich environments, with R. similis adapting better to higher concentrations. Morphological and protein production changes were investigated, and mass spectrometry identified perchlorate-induced proteins, advancing molecular understanding of potential microbial life on Mars. These findings advance knowledge of extremophile capabilities, contributing to the search for life beyond Earth and informing the design of future Martian rovers equipped for biosignature detection.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12095635/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144121420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The long-term stability of solid-state oral pharmaceuticals exposed to simulated intravehicular space radiation.","authors":"Ianik Plante, Vernie Daniels, Millennia Young, Ramona Gaza, Honglu Wu, John F Reichard","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00469-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41526-025-00469-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pharmaceutical products brought for space missions must remain effective and safe throughout the mission. Previous NASA experiments suggest that radiation exposure could threaten drug stability during long-duration space missions. The Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element has evaluated this possibility by exposing four medications to simulated Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCRSim) at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory followed by a three-year storage period. The solid oral drug products Acetaminophen, Amoxicillin, Ibuprofen, and Promethazine were used. Identical lots of each medication were assigned to four experimental groups: the non-irradiated Johnson Space Center control group, the non-irradiated traveling control group, the irradiation group I (GRSim, 0.5 Gy), and the irradiation group II (GCRSim, 1.0 Gy). Drug products were assessed for active pharmaceutical ingredient, degradation impurities, and dissolution 2, 18, and 34 months after irradiation. All samples show comparable degradation, revealing that GCR exposure does not facilitate the degradation of the drugs.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12085706/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144095769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The GENESTAR manual for biospecimen collection biobanking and omics data generation from commercial space missions.","authors":"Aparna Krishnavajhala, Marie-Claude Gingras, Emmanuel Urquieta, Hsu Chao, Dilrukshi Bandaranaike, Yi Chen, Sravya Bhamidipati, Viktoriya Korchina, S Michelle Griffin, Michal M Masternak, Hannah Moreno, Javid Mohammed, Mullai Murugan, Jennifer E Posey, Jimmy H Wu, Donna Muzny, Richard A Gibbs, Harsha Doddapaneni","doi":"10.1038/s41526-025-00472-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-025-00472-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The surge in commercial and civilian spaceflight enables the systematic and longitudinal, large-scale biospecimen collection to understand the prospective effects of space travel on human health. The Genomics and Space Medicine (Space Omics) project at BCM-HGSC involves a comprehensive biospecimen collection plan from commercial/private space flight participants. The manuscript addresses the critical gaps in the biospecimen collection process including details of the informed consent process, a provision for subjects to obtain custom CLIA-WGS reports, a data dictionary and a LIMS enabled biobank. The manuscript also discusses the biospecimens collection, processing methodologies and nucleic acid suitability for Omics data generation. Results from Axiom-2 mission where, 339 biospecimens were collected using 'Genomic Evaluation of Space Travel and Research (GENESTAR)' manual, at two different sites, showed that 98% of the blood samples and 91.6% of the non-blood samples passed the QC requirements for Omics assays, underscoring the reliability and effectiveness of the GENESTAR manual.</p>","PeriodicalId":54263,"journal":{"name":"npj Microgravity","volume":"11 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12078511/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}