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Porada C, Kuhlman B, Diaz J, Simon T, Reaves K, Walker S, Atala A, Almeida-Porada G. Simulated Microgravity Impairs Human NK Cell Cytotoxic Activity Against Space Radiation-Relevant Leukemic Cells. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3972868. [PMID: 38746365 PMCID: PMC11092860 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3972868/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are important effectors of the innate immune system. Unlike T cells, NK cells do not require antigen-priming, making them an important first-line of defense against malignant cells. Because of the potential for increased cancer risk as a result of astronaut exposure to space radiation, we performed studies to determine whether conditions of microgravity present during spaceflight affects the body's natural defenses against leukemogenesis. Human NK cells were cultured for 48 hours under normal gravity and simulated microgravity (sµG), and cytotoxicity against K-562 (CML) and MOLT-4 (T-ALL) cell lines was measured using standard methodology or under continuous conditions of sµG. Even this brief exposure to sµG markedly reduced NK cytotoxicity against both leukemic cells using standard assay procedures, and these deleterious effects were even more pronounced in continuous sµG. RNA-seq performed on NK cells from two healthy donors provided insight into the mechanism(s) by which sµG reduced cytotoxicity. Given our prior report that human HSC exposed to simulated space radiation gave rise to T-ALL in vivo , the reduced cytotoxicity against MOLT-4 is striking and raises the possibility that µG may add to astronaut risk of leukemogenesis during prolonged missions beyond LEO.
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2
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Alaghband Y, Klein PM, Kramár EA, Cranston MN, Perry BC, Shelerud LM, Kane AE, Doan NL, Ru N, Acharya MM, Wood MA, Sinclair DA, Dickstein DL, Soltesz I, Limoli CL, Baulch JE. Galactic cosmic radiation exposure causes multifaceted neurocognitive impairments. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:29. [PMID: 36607431 PMCID: PMC9823026 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04666-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Technological advancements have facilitated the implementation of realistic, terrestrial-based complex 33-beam galactic cosmic radiation simulations (GCR Sim) to now probe central nervous system functionality. This work expands considerably on prior, simplified GCR simulations, yielding new insights into responses of male and female mice exposed to 40-50 cGy acute or chronic radiations relevant to deep space travel. Results of the object in updated location task suggested that exposure to acute or chronic GCR Sim induced persistent impairments in hippocampus-dependent memory formation and reconsolidation in female mice that did not manifest robustly in irradiated male mice. Interestingly, irradiated male mice, but not females, were impaired in novel object recognition and chronically irradiated males exhibited increased aggressive behavior on the tube dominance test. Electrophysiology studies used to evaluate synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 region revealed significant reductions in long-term potentiation after each irradiation paradigm in both sexes. Interestingly, network-level disruptions did not translate to altered intrinsic electrophysiological properties of CA1 pyramidal cells, whereas acute exposures caused modest drops in excitatory synaptic signaling in males. Ultrastructural analyses of CA1 synapses found smaller postsynaptic densities in larger spines of chronically exposed mice compared to controls and acutely exposed mice. Myelination was also affected by GCR Sim with acutely exposed mice exhibiting an increase in the percent of myelinated axons; however, the myelin sheathes on small calibur (< 0.3 mm) and larger (> 0.5 mm) axons were thinner when compared to controls. Present findings might have been predicted based on previous studies using single and mixed beam exposures and provide further evidence that space-relevant radiation exposures disrupt critical cognitive processes and underlying neuronal network-level plasticity, albeit not to the extent that might have been previously predicted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Alaghband
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Sciences I, University of California Irvine, Room B-146D, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Peter M Klein
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Eniko A Kramár
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, 92697-2695, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, 92697-2695, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Michael N Cranston
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF), Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Bayley C Perry
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF), Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Lukas M Shelerud
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0211, USA
| | - Alice E Kane
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0211, USA
| | - Ngoc-Lien Doan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Sciences I, University of California Irvine, Room B-146D, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Ning Ru
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Sciences I, University of California Irvine, Room B-146D, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Munjal M Acharya
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Sciences I, University of California Irvine, Room B-146D, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Marcelo A Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, 92697-2695, USA
| | - David A Sinclair
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0211, USA
| | - Dara L Dickstein
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF), Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Ivan Soltesz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Charles L Limoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Sciences I, University of California Irvine, Room B-146D, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Janet E Baulch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Sciences I, University of California Irvine, Room B-146D, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA.
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Suman S, Kumar S, Kallakury BVS, Moon BH, Angdisen J, Datta K, Fornace AJ. Predominant contribution of the dose received from constituent heavy-ions in the induction of gastrointestinal tumorigenesis after simulated space radiation exposure. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2022; 61:631-637. [PMID: 36167896 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-022-00997-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer risk among astronauts after encountering galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is predicted to exceed safe permissible limits in long duration deep-space missions. Current predictions are based on relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values derived from in-vivo studies using single-ion beams, while GCR is essentially a mixed radiation field composed of protons (H), helium (He), and heavy ions. Therefore, a sequentially delivered proton (H) → Helium (He) → Oxygen (O) → Silicon (Si) beam was designed to simulate simplified-mixed-field GCR (Smf-GCR), and Apc1638N/+ mice were total-body irradiated to sham or γ (157Cs) or Smf-GCR followed by assessment of GI-tumorigenesis at 150 days post-exposure. Further, GI-tumor data from equivalent doses of heavy-ions (i.e., 0.05 Gy of O and Si) in 0.5 Gy of Smf-GCR were compared to understand the contributions of heavy-ions in GI-tumorigenesis. The Smf-GCR-induced tumor and carcinoma count were significantly greater than γ-rays, and male preponderance for GI-tumorigenesis was consistent with our earlier findings. Comparison of tumor data from Smf-GCR and equivalent doses of heavy ions revealed an association between higher GI-tumorigenesis where dose received from heavy-ions contributed to > 95% of the total GI-tumorigenic effect observed after Smf-GCR. This study provides the first experimental evidence that cancer risk after GCR exposure could largely depend on doses received from constituent heavy-ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhankar Suman
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Research Building, Room E504, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Research Building, Room E504, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Bhaskar V S Kallakury
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Bo-Hyun Moon
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Research Building, Room E504, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Jerry Angdisen
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Research Building, Room E504, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Kamal Datta
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Research Building, Room E504, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology and Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Albert J Fornace
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Research Building, Room E504, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology and Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
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Singh D, Sinha RK, Singh P, Roy N, Mukherjee S. Astrobiological Potential of Fe/Mg Smectites with Special Emphasis on Jezero Crater, Mars 2020 Landing Site. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:579-597. [PMID: 35171004 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Life is known to adapt in accordance with its surrounding environment and sustainable resources available to it. Since harsh conditions would have precluded any possible aerobic evolution of life at the martian surface, it is plausible that martian life, should it exist, would have evolved in such a way as to derive energy from more optimum resources. Iron is one of the most abundant elements present in the martian crust and occurs at about twice the amount present on Earth. Clay minerals contribute to about half the iron found in soils and sediments. On Earth, clay acts as an electron donor as well as an acceptor in the carbon cycles and thereby supports a wide variety of metabolic reactions. In this context, we consider the potential of Fe/Mg smectites, one of the most widely reported hydrated minerals on Mars, for preservation of macro- and microscopic biosignatures. We proceed by understanding the environmental conditions during the formation of smectites and various microbes and metabolic processes associated with them as indicated in Earth-based studies. We also explore the possibility of biosignatures and their identification within the Mars 2020 landing site (Jezero Crater) by using the astrobiological payloads on board the Perseverance rover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepali Singh
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Priyadarshini Singh
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Nidhi Roy
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Saumitra Mukherjee
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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5
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Vasavada AR. Mission Overview and Scientific Contributions from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover After Eight Years of Surface Operations. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2022; 218:14. [PMID: 35399614 PMCID: PMC8981195 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-022-00882-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, with its Curiosity rover, has been exploring Gale crater (5.4° S, 137.8° E) since 2012 with the goal of assessing the potential of Mars to support life. The mission has compiled compelling evidence that the crater basin accumulated sediment transported by marginal rivers into lakes that likely persisted for millions of years approximately 3.6 Ga ago in the early Hesperian. Geochemical and mineralogical assessments indicate that environmental conditions within this timeframe would have been suitable for sustaining life, if it ever were present. Fluids simultaneously circulated in the subsurface and likely existed through the dry phases of lake bed exposure and aeolian deposition, conceivably creating a continuously habitable subsurface environment that persisted to less than 3 Ga in the early Amazonian. A diversity of organic molecules has been preserved, though degraded, with evidence for more complex precursors. Solid samples show highly variable isotopic abundances of sulfur, chlorine, and carbon. In situ studies of modern wind-driven sediment transport and multiple large and active aeolian deposits have led to advances in understanding bedform development and the initiation of saltation. Investigation of the modern atmosphere and environment has improved constraints on the timing and magnitude of atmospheric loss, revealed the presence of methane and the crater's influence on local meteorology, and provided measurements of high-energy radiation at Mars' surface in preparation for future crewed missions. Rover systems and science instruments remain capable of addressing all key scientific objectives. Emphases on advance planning, flexibility, operations support work, and team culture have allowed the mission team to maintain a high level of productivity in spite of declining rover power and funding. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11214-022-00882-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin R. Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
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6
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Litvak ML, Mitrofanov IG, Sanin AB, Bakhtin B, Golovin DV, Zeitlin C. Observations of neutron radiation environment during Odyssey cruise to Mars. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2021; 29:53-62. [PMID: 33888288 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In April 2001, Mars Odyssey spacecraft with the High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND) onboard was launched to Mars. HEND/Odyssey was switched on measurement mode for most of transit to Mars to monitor variations of spacecraft background and solar activity. Although HEND/Odyssey was originally designed to measure Martian neutron albedo and to search for Martian subsurface water/water ice, its measurements during cruise phase to Mars are applicable to evaluate spacecraft ambient radiation background. The biological impact of the neutron component of this radiation background should be understood, as it must be taken into account in planning future human missions to Mars. We have modeled the spacecraft neutron spectral density and compared it with HEND measurements to estimate neutron dose equivalent rates during Odyssey cruise phase, which occurred during the maximum period of solar cycle 23. We find that the Odyssey ambient neutron environment during May - September 2001 yields 10.6 ± 2.0 μSv per day in the energy range from 0 to 15 MeV, and about 29 μSv per day when extrapolated to the 0-1000 MeV energy range during solar quiet time (intervals without Solar Particle Events, SPEs). We have also extrapolated HEND/Odyssey measurements to different periods of solar cycle and find that during solar minimum (maximum of GCR flux), the neutron dose equivalent rate during cruise to Mars could be as high as 52 μSv per day with the same shielding. These values are in good agreement with results reported for a similar measurement made with an instrument aboard the Mars Science Laboratory during its cruise to Mars in 2011-2012.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Litvak
- Space Research Institute, RAS, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | | | - A B Sanin
- Space Research Institute, RAS, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - B Bakhtin
- Space Research Institute, RAS, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - D V Golovin
- Space Research Institute, RAS, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - C Zeitlin
- Leidos, Inc., Houston, TX 77058, USA
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7
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Khaksarighiri S, Guo J, Wimmer-Schweingruber R, Narici L, Lohf H. Calculation of dose distribution in a realistic brain structure and the indication of space radiation influence on human brains. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2020; 27:33-48. [PMID: 34756228 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important steps in the near-future space age will be a crew mission returning to the Moon and even a manned mission to Mars. Unfortunately, such a mission will expose astronauts to unavoidable cosmic radiation in deep space and on the Martian or lunar surface. Thus, a better understanding of the radiation environment for such a mission and the consequent biological impacts on humans, in particular the human brains, is critical. The need for this better understanding is strongly suggested by investigations on animal models and on human patients who were undergoing irradiation for cancer therapy in the head. These have revealed unexpected alterations in the central nervous system behavior and sensitivity of mature neurons in the brain to charged particles. However, such experiments shall not be carried out realistically in space using humans. Therefore, to investigate the impact of cosmic radiation on human brains and the potential influence on the brain functions, we model and study the cosmic particle-induced radiation dose in a realistic head structure. Specifically speaking, 134 slices of computed tomography (CT) images of an actual human head have been used as a 3D phantom in Geant4 (GEometry ANd Tracking), which is a Monte Carlo tool for simulating energetic particles impinging into different parts of the brain and deliver radiation dose therein. As a first step, we compare the influence of different brain structures (e.g., with or without bones, with or without soft tissues) to the resulting dose therein to demonstrate the necessity of using a realistic brain structure for our investigation. Afterward, we calculate energy-dependent functions of dose distribution, for the most important (some of the most abundant and most biologically-relevant) particle types encountered during a deep space mission inside a spacecraft or habitat such as protons, helium ions, neutrons and some major heavier ions like carbon, nitrogen, and iron particles. Furthermore, two different scenarios have been modeled as a comparison: a human head without shielding protection and a human head with an aluminum shielding shell around (of varying thickness). These functions can then be used to fold with energetic cosmic-ray particle spectra of the ambient environment for obtaining the dose rate distribution at different lobes of the human brain. Our calculation of these functions can serve as a ready tool and a baseline for further evaluations of the radiation in the brain encountered during a space mission with different radiation fields, such as on the surface of the Moon or Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman Khaksarighiri
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Kiel, Kiel, DE24118, Germany
| | - Jingnan Guo
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Kiel, Kiel, DE24118, Germany; School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, USTC, Hefei, China.
| | | | - Livio Narici
- Departments of Physics, the University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy; INFN sect Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Henning Lohf
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Kiel, Kiel, DE24118, Germany
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8
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Chatterjee S, Pietrofesa RA, Park K, Tao JQ, Carabe-Fernandez A, Berman AT, Koumenis C, Sielecki T, Christofidou-Solomidou M. LGM2605 Reduces Space Radiation-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Damage in In Vitro Lung Vascular Networks. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20010176. [PMID: 30621290 PMCID: PMC6337675 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Updated measurements of charged particle fluxes during the transit from Earth to Mars as well as on site measurements by Curiosity of Martian surface radiation fluxes identified potential health hazards associated with radiation exposure for human space missions. Designing mitigation strategies of radiation risks to astronauts is critical. We investigated radiation-induced endothelial cell damage and its mitigation by LGM2605, a radioprotector with antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. We used an in vitro model of lung vascular networks (flow-adapted endothelial cells; FAECs), exposed to gamma rays, low/higher linear energy transfer (LET) protons (3⁻4 or 8⁻10 keV/µm, respectively), and mixed field radiation sources (gamma and protons), given at mission-relevant doses (0.25 gray (Gy)⁻1 Gy). We evaluated endothelial inflammatory phenotype, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and oxidative cell injury. LGM2605 (100 µM) was added 30 min post radiation exposure and gene expression changes evaluated 24 h later. Radiation induced a robust increase in mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes post 0.25 Gy and 0.5 Gy gamma radiation, which was significantly decreased by LGM2605. Intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) induction by individual or mixed-field exposures were also significantly blunted by LGM2605. We conclude that LGM2605 is a likely candidate to reduce tissue damage from space-relevant radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shampa Chatterjee
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Ralph A Pietrofesa
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Kyewon Park
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Jian-Qin Tao
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Alejandro Carabe-Fernandez
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Abigail T Berman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Constantinos Koumenis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | | | - Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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9
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Cabrol NA. The Coevolution of Life and Environment on Mars: An Ecosystem Perspective on the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:1-27. [PMID: 29252008 PMCID: PMC5779243 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Earth's biological and environmental evolution are intertwined and inseparable. This coevolution has become a fundamental concept in astrobiology and is key to the search for life beyond our planet. In the case of Mars, whether a coevolution took place is unknown, but analyzing the factors at play shows the uniqueness of each planetary experiment regardless of similarities. Early Earth and early Mars shared traits. However, biological processes on Mars, if any, would have had to proceed within the distinctive context of an irreversible atmospheric collapse, greater climate variability, and specific planetary characteristics. In that, Mars is an important test bed for comparing the effects of a unique set of spatiotemporal changes on an Earth-like, yet different, planet. Many questions remain unanswered about Mars' early environment. Nevertheless, existing data sets provide a foundation for an intellectual framework where notional coevolution models can be explored. In this framework, the focus is shifted from planetary-scale habitability to the prospect of habitats, microbial ecotones, pathways to biological dispersal, biomass repositories, and their meaning for exploration. Critically, as we search for biosignatures, this focus demonstrates the importance of starting to think of early Mars as a biosphere and vigorously integrating an ecosystem approach to landing site selection and exploration. Key Words: Astrobiology-Biosignatures-Coevolution of Earth and life-Mars. Astrobiology 18, 1-27.
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10
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Matthiä D, Hassler DM, de Wet W, Ehresmann B, Firan A, Flores-McLaughlin J, Guo J, Heilbronn LH, Lee K, Ratliff H, Rios RR, Slaba TC, Smith M, Stoffle NN, Townsend LW, Berger T, Reitz G, Wimmer-Schweingruber RF, Zeitlin C. The radiation environment on the surface of Mars - Summary of model calculations and comparison to RAD data. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2017; 14:18-28. [PMID: 28887939 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The radiation environment at the Martian surface is, apart from occasional solar energetic particle events, dominated by galactic cosmic radiation, secondary particles produced in their interaction with the Martian atmosphere and albedo particles from the Martian regolith. The highly energetic primary cosmic radiation consists mainly of fully ionized nuclei creating a complex radiation field at the Martian surface. This complex field, its formation and its potential health risk posed to astronauts on future manned missions to Mars can only be fully understood using a combination of measurements and model calculations. In this work the outcome of a workshop held in June 2016 in Boulder, CO, USA is presented: experimental results from the Radiation Assessment Detector of the Mars Science Laboratory are compared to model results from GEANT4, HETC-HEDS, HZETRN, MCNP6, and PHITS. Charged and neutral particle spectra and dose rates measured between 15 November 2015 and 15 January 2016 and model results calculated for this time period are investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Matthiä
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Höhe, 51147, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Donald M Hassler
- Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, Boulder, USA; Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS, Orsay, France
| | - Wouter de Wet
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bent Ehresmann
- Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, Boulder, USA
| | - Ana Firan
- Space Radiation Analysis Group, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA; Leidos Exploration and Mission Support, Houston, TX, 77258, USA
| | - John Flores-McLaughlin
- Space Radiation Analysis Group, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA; University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jingnan Guo
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lawrence H Heilbronn
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kerry Lee
- Space Radiation Analysis Group, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hunter Ratliff
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ryan R Rios
- Space Radiation Analysis Group, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA; Leidos Exploration and Mission Support, Houston, TX, 77258, USA
| | - Tony C Slaba
- NASA Langley Research Center, 2 West Reid St., MS 188E, Hampton, VA, 23681, USA
| | - Michael Smith
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Lawrence W Townsend
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Thomas Berger
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Höhe, 51147, Cologne, Germany
| | - Günther Reitz
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Höhe, 51147, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Cary Zeitlin
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Leidos Exploration and Mission Support, Houston, TX, 77258, USA
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Ehresmann B, Zeitlin CJ, Hassler DM, Matthiä D, Guo J, Wimmer-Schweingruber RF, Appel JK, Brinza DE, Rafkin SCR, Böttcher SI, Burmeister S, Lohf H, Martin C, Böhm E, Reitz G. The charged particle radiation environment on Mars measured by MSL/RAD from November 15, 2015 to January 15, 2016. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2017; 14:3-11. [PMID: 28887941 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on board the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover has been measuring the radiation environment in Gale crater on Mars since August, 2012. These first in-situ measurements provide an important data set for assessing the radiation-associated health risks for future manned missions to Mars. Mainly, the radiation field on the Martian surface stems from Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and secondary particles created by the GCRs' interactions with the Martian atmosphere and soil. RAD is capable of measuring differential particle fluxes for lower-energy ions and isotopes of hydrogen and helium (up to hundreds of MeV/nuc). Additionally, RAD also measures integral particle fluxes for higher energies of these ions. Besides providing insight on the current Martian radiation environment, these fluxes also present an essential input for particle transport codes that are used to model the radiation to be encountered during future manned missions to Mars. Comparing simulation results with actual ground-truth measurements helps to validate these transport codes and identify potential areas of improvements in the underlying physics of these codes. At the First Mars Radiation Modeling Workshop (June 2016 in Boulder, CO), different groups of modelers were asked to calculate the Martian surface radiation environment for the time of November 15, 2015 to January 15, 2016. These model results can then be compared with in-situ measurements of MSL/RAD conducted during the same time frame. In this publication, we focus on presenting the charged particle fluxes measured by RAD between November 15, 2015 and January 15, 2016, providing the necessary data set for the comparison to model outputs from the modeling workshop. We also compare the fluxes to initial GCR intensities, as well as to RAD measurements from an earlier time period (August 2012 to January 2013). Furthermore, we describe how changes and updates in RAD on board processing and the on ground analysis tools effect and improve the flux calculations. An in-depth comparison of modeling results from the workshop and RAD fluxes of this publication is presented elsewhere in this issue (Matthiä et al., 2017).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bent Ehresmann
- Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.
| | | | - Donald M Hassler
- Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - Daniel Matthiä
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jingnan Guo
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Jan K Appel
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - David E Brinza
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Scot C R Rafkin
- Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | | | | | - Henning Lohf
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Cesar Martin
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Eckart Böhm
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Günther Reitz
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Cologne, Germany
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