Rapid aging of human stem cells observed in space, according to research on our site
In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and the Helmholtz Zentrum München (Helmholtz Center Munich) have discovered significant changes in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) during space travel. The research, published on September 4 in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Stem Cell, was led by Jessica Pham from UCSD and involved HSPCs that were in space for between 32 days and 45 days.
The study, a follow-on to a previous study on NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Mark Kelly, utilised an International Space Station (ISS) platform for culturing human stem cells with AI-powered imaging tools. The HSPCs were sent to the ISS aboard SpaceX commercial resupply missions and were exposed to radiation and microgravity while aboard the ISS.
The research team observed changes in the HSPCs, including increased activity, decreased ability to recover and regenerate, and signs of molecular wear and tear like DNA damage and shorter chromosome ends. Some cells began to recover when placed in a 'young, healthy environment' on Earth, indicating that these changes may be reversible.
The HSPCs showed signs of accelerated aging, including reduced ability to make healthy new cells, increased DNA damage, and faster aging at the ends of their chromosomes. UCSD aims to conduct real-time monitoring of molecular changes and countermeasures in future ISS studies.
Catriona Jamieson, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute and a professor of medicine at UCSD, was a co-author of the study. UCSD has completed 17 missions to the ISS and plans for more focused on HSPCs.
Scott Kelly spent nearly a year on the ISS from 2015 to 2016, while Mark remained on Earth during the same period. Some novel findings from the study include changes in telomere length dynamics during Scott Kelly's flight. The new findings have important implications for understanding the effects of space travel on the human body and could potentially lead to the development of countermeasures to protect astronauts during long-duration space missions.
