1
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Yun S, Kiffer FC, Bancroft GL, Guzman CS, Soler I, Haas HA, Shi R, Patel R, Lara-Jiménez J, Kumar PL, Tran FH, Ahn KJ, Rong Y, Luitel K, Shay JW, Eisch AJ. The longitudinal behavioral effects of acute exposure to galactic cosmic radiation in female C57BL/6J mice: Implications for deep space missions, female crews, and potential antioxidant countermeasures. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 39318241 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
Galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is an unavoidable risk to astronauts that may affect mission success. Male rodents exposed to 33-beam-GCR (33-GCR) show short-term cognitive deficits but reports on female rodents and long-term assessment are lacking. We asked: What are the longitudinal behavioral effects of 33-GCR on female mice? Also, can an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory compound (CDDO-EA) mitigate the impact of 33-GCR? Mature (6-month-old) C57BL/6J female mice received CDDO-EA (400 μg/g of food) or a control diet (vehicle, Veh) for 5 days and Sham-irradiation (IRR) or whole-body 33-GCR (0.75Gy) on the 4th day. Three-months post-IRR, mice underwent two touchscreen-platform tests: (1) location discrimination reversal (tests behavior pattern separation and cognitive flexibility, abilities reliant on the dentate gyrus) and (2) stimulus-response learning/extinction. Mice then underwent arena-based behavior tests (e.g. open field, 3-chamber social interaction). At the experiment's end (14.25-month post-IRR), an index relevant to neurogenesis was quantified (doublecortin-immunoreactive [DCX+] dentate gyrus immature neurons). Female mice exposed to Veh/Sham vs. Veh/33-GCR had similar pattern separation (% correct to 1st reversal). There were two effects of diet: CDDO-EA/Sham and CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice had better pattern separation vs. their respective control groups (Veh/Sham, Veh/33-GCR), and CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice had better cognitive flexibility (reversal number) vs. Veh/33-GCR mice. One radiation effect/CDDO-EA countereffect also emerged: Veh/33-GCR mice had slower stimulus-response learning (days to completion) vs. all other groups, including CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice. In general, all mice showed normal anxiety-like behavior, exploration, and habituation to novel environments. There was also a change relevant to neurogenesis: Veh/33-GCR mice had fewer DCX+ dentate gyrus immature neurons vs. Veh/Sham mice. Our study implies space radiation is a risk to a female crew's longitudinal mission-relevant cognitive processes and CDDO-EA is a potential dietary countermeasure for space-radiation CNS risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanghee Yun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Frederico C Kiffer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Grace L Bancroft
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Caterina S Guzman
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ivan Soler
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Harley A Haas
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Raymon Shi
- School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Riya Patel
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jaysen Lara-Jiménez
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Priya L Kumar
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fionya H Tran
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kyung Jin Ahn
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yuying Rong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Krishna Luitel
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jerry W Shay
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Amelia J Eisch
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Sleiman A, Miller KB, Flores D, Kuan J, Altwasser K, Smith BJ, Kozbenko T, Hocking R, Wood SJ, Huff J, Adam-Guillermin C, Hamada N, Yauk C, Wilkins R, Chauhan V. AOP report: Development of an adverse outcome pathway for deposition of energy leading to learning and memory impairment. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2024. [PMID: 39228295 DOI: 10.1002/em.22622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Understanding radiation-induced non-cancer effects on the central nervous system (CNS) is essential for the risk assessment of medical (e.g., radiotherapy) and occupational (e.g., nuclear workers and astronauts) exposures. Herein, the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) approach was used to consolidate relevant studies in the area of cognitive decline for identification of research gaps, countermeasure development, and for eventual use in risk assessments. AOPs are an analytical construct describing critical events to an adverse outcome (AO) in a simplified form beginning with a molecular initiating event (MIE). An AOP was constructed utilizing mechanistic information to build empirical support for the key event relationships (KERs) between the MIE of deposition of energy to the AO of learning and memory impairment through multiple key events (KEs). The evidence for the AOP was acquired through a documented scoping review of the literature. In this AOP, the MIE is connected to the AO via six KEs: increased oxidative stress, increased deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strand breaks, altered stress response signaling, tissue resident cell activation, increased pro-inflammatory mediators, and abnormal neural remodeling that encompasses atypical structural and functional alterations of neural cells and surrounding environment. Deposition of energy directly leads to oxidative stress, increased DNA strand breaks, an increase of pro-inflammatory mediators and tissue resident cell activation. These KEs, which are themselves interconnected, can lead to abnormal neural remodeling impacting learning and memory processes. Identified knowledge gaps include improving quantitative understanding of the AOP across several KERs and additional testing of proposed modulating factors through experimental work. Broadly, it is envisioned that the outcome of these efforts could be extended to other cognitive disorders and complement ongoing work by international radiation governing bodies in their review of the system of radiological protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Sleiman
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, St. Paul Lez Durance, Provence, France
| | - Kathleen B Miller
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Morrison College Family of Health, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Danicia Flores
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jaqueline Kuan
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Altwasser
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benjamin J Smith
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tatiana Kozbenko
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robyn Hocking
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Janice Huff
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Chiba, Japan
| | - Carole Yauk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth Wilkins
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vinita Chauhan
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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3
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Kokhan VS, Pikalov VA, Chaprov K, Gulyaev MV. Combined Ionizing Radiation Exposure by Gamma Rays and Carbon-12 Nuclei Increases Neurotrophic Factor Content and Prevents Age-Associated Decreases in the Volume of the Sensorimotor Cortex in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6725. [PMID: 38928431 PMCID: PMC11203503 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In orbital and ground-based experiments, it has been demonstrated that ionizing radiation (IR) can stimulate the locomotor and exploratory activity of rodents, but the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon remains undisclosed. Here, we studied the effect of combined IR (0.4 Gy γ-rays and 0.14 Gy carbon-12 nuclei) on the locomotor and exploratory activity of rats, and assessed the sensorimotor cortex volume by magnetic resonance imaging-based morphometry at 1 week and 7 months post-irradiation. The sensorimotor cortex tissues were processed to determine whether the behavioral and morphologic effects were associated with changes in neurotrophin content. The irradiated rats were characterized by increased locomotor and exploratory activity, as well as novelty-seeking behavior, at 3 days post-irradiation. At the same time, only unirradiated rats experienced a significant decrease in the sensorimotor cortex volume at 7 months. While there were no significant differences at 1 week, at 7 months, the irradiated rats were characterized by higher neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4 content in the sensorimotor cortex. Thus, IR prevents the age-associated decrease in the sensorimotor cortex volume, which is associated with neurotrophic and neurogenic changes. Meanwhile, IR-induced increases in locomotor activity may be the cause of the observed changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor S. Kokhan
- V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, 119034 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir A. Pikalov
- Institute for High Energy Physics Named by A.A. Logunov of NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, 142281 Protvino, Russia;
| | - Kirill Chaprov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia;
| | - Mikhail V. Gulyaev
- Faculty of Medicine, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
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4
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Cahoon DS, Fisher DR, Rabin BM, Lamon-Fava S, Wu D, Zheng T, Shukitt-Hale B. Galactic Cosmic Ray Particle Exposure Does Not Increase Protein Levels of Inflammation or Oxidative Stress Markers in Rat Microglial Cells In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5923. [PMID: 38892109 PMCID: PMC11172496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Astronauts on exploratory missions will be exposed to galactic cosmic rays (GCR), which can induce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress (OS) and may increase the risk of neurodegenerative disease. As key regulators of inflammation and OS in the CNS, microglial cells may be involved in GCR-induced deficits, and therefore could be a target for neuroprotection. This study assessed the effects of exposure to helium (4He) and iron (56Fe) particles on inflammation and OS in microglia in vitro, to establish a model for testing countermeasure efficacy. Rat microglia were exposed to a single dose of 20 cGy (300 MeV/n) 4He or 2 Gy 56Fe (600 MeV/n), while the control cells were not exposed (0 cGy). Immediately following irradiation, fresh media was applied to the cells, and biomarkers of inflammation (cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2], nitric oxide synthase [iNOS], phosphorylated IκB-α [pIκB-α], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNFα], and nitrite [NO2-]) and OS (NADPH oxidase [NOX2]) were assessed 24 h later using standard immunochemical techniques. Results showed that radiation did not increase levels of NO2- or protein levels of COX-2, iNOS, pIκB-α, TNFα, or NOX2 compared to non-irradiated control conditions in microglial cells (p > 0.05). Therefore, microglia in isolation may not be the primary cause of neuroinflammation and OS following exposures to helium or iron GCR particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle S. Cahoon
- USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (D.S.C.); (D.R.F.); (S.L.-F.); (D.W.); (T.Z.)
| | - Derek R. Fisher
- USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (D.S.C.); (D.R.F.); (S.L.-F.); (D.W.); (T.Z.)
| | - Bernard M. Rabin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, MD 21250, USA;
| | - Stefania Lamon-Fava
- USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (D.S.C.); (D.R.F.); (S.L.-F.); (D.W.); (T.Z.)
| | - Dayong Wu
- USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (D.S.C.); (D.R.F.); (S.L.-F.); (D.W.); (T.Z.)
| | - Tong Zheng
- USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (D.S.C.); (D.R.F.); (S.L.-F.); (D.W.); (T.Z.)
| | - Barbara Shukitt-Hale
- USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (D.S.C.); (D.R.F.); (S.L.-F.); (D.W.); (T.Z.)
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5
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Yun S, Kiffer FC, Bancroft GL, Guzman CS, Soler I, Haas HA, Shi R, Patel R, Lara-Jiménez J, Kumar PL, Tran FH, Ahn KJ, Rong Y, Luitel K, Shay JW, Eisch AJ. The longitudinal behavioral effects of acute exposure to galactic cosmic radiation in female C57BL/6J mice: implications for deep space missions, female crews, and potential antioxidant countermeasures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.12.588768. [PMID: 38659963 PMCID: PMC11042186 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.12.588768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is an unavoidable risk to astronauts that may affect mission success. Male rodents exposed to 33-beam-GCR (33-GCR) show short-term cognitive deficits but reports on female rodents and long-term assessment is lacking. Here we asked: What are the longitudinal behavioral effects of 33-GCR on female mice? Also, can an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory compound mitigate the impact of 33-GCR? Mature (6-month-old) C57BL/6J female mice received the antioxidant CDDO-EA (400 µg/g of food) or a control diet (vehicle, Veh) for 5 days and either Sham-irradiation (IRR) or whole-body 33-GCR (0.75Gy) on the 4th day. Three-months post-IRR, mice underwent two touchscreen-platform tests: 1) location discrimination reversal (which tests behavior pattern separation and cognitive flexibility, two abilities reliant on the dentate gyrus) and 2) stimulus-response learning/extinction. Mice then underwent arena-based behavior tests (e.g. open field, 3-chamber social interaction). At the experiment end (14.25-month post-IRR), neurogenesis was assessed (doublecortin-immunoreactive [DCX+] dentate gyrus neurons). Female mice exposed to Veh/Sham vs. Veh/33-GCR had similar pattern separation (% correct to 1st reversal). There were two effects of diet: CDDO-EA/Sham and CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice had better pattern separation vs. their respective control groups (Veh/Sham, Veh/33-GCR), and CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice had better cognitive flexibility (reversal number) vs. Veh/33-GCR mice. Notably, one radiation effect/CDDO-EA countereffect also emerged: Veh/33-GCR mice had worse stimulus-response learning (days to completion) vs. all other groups, including CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice. In general, all mice show normal anxiety-like behavior, exploration, and habituation to novel environments. There was also a change in neurogenesis: Veh/33-GCR mice had fewer DCX+ dentate gyrus immature neurons vs. Veh/Sham mice. Our study implies space radiation is a risk to a female crew's longitudinal mission-relevant cognitive processes and CDDO-EA is a potential dietary countermeasure for space-radiation CNS risks.
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6
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Chaklai A, O’Neil A, Goel S, Margolies N, Krenik D, Perez R, Kessler K, Staltontall E, Yoon HK(E, Pantoja M, Stagaman K, Kasschau K, Unni V, Duvoisin R, Sharpton T, Raber J. Effects of Paraquat, Dextran Sulfate Sodium, and Irradiation on Behavioral and Cognitive Performance and the Gut Microbiome in A53T and A53T-L444P Mice. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:282. [PMID: 38540341 PMCID: PMC11154584 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030282] [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: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous carriers of the glucocerebrosidase 1 (GBA) L444P Gaucher mutation have an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). The GBA mutations result in elevated alpha synuclein (aSyn) levels. Heterozygous mice carrying one allele with the L444P mutation knocked-into the mouse gene show increased aSyn levels and are more sensitive to motor deficits following exposure to the neurotoxin (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) MPTP than wild-type mice. Paraquat (PQ), a herbicide, increases PD risk in most studies. Its effects on the brain involve alterations in the gut microbiome. Exposure to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), a mouse model of colitis, can be used to determine whether gut microbiome alterations are sufficient to induce PD-relevant phenotypes. We rederived the A53T-L444P and A53T mouse lines to assess whether PQ, PQ in combination with radiation exposure (IR), and DSS have differential effects in A53T and A53T-L444P mice and whether these effects are associated with alterations in the gut microbiome. PQ and PQ + IR have differential effects in A53T and A53T-L444P mice. In contrast, effects of DSS are only seen in A53T-L444P mice. Exposure and genotype modulate the relationship between the gut microbiome and behavioral performance. The gut microbiome may be an important mediator of how environmental exposures or genetic mutations yield behavioral and cognitive impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Chaklai
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Abigail O’Neil
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Shrey Goel
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Nick Margolies
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Destine Krenik
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Ruby Perez
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Kat Kessler
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Elizabeth Staltontall
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Hong Ki (Eric) Yoon
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Montzerrat Pantoja
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Keaton Stagaman
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (K.S.); (K.K.); (T.S.)
| | - Kristin Kasschau
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (K.S.); (K.K.); (T.S.)
| | - Vivek Unni
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
- Jungers Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Robert Duvoisin
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Thomas Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (K.S.); (K.K.); (T.S.)
- Department of Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (A.C.); (A.O.); (S.G.); (N.M.); (D.K.); (R.P.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (M.P.)
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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7
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Pfuhl T, Weber U, Horst F, Durante M, Schuy C. Ground-based passive generation of Solar Particle Event spectra: Planning and manufacturing of a 3D-printed modulator. Z Med Phys 2024; 34:153-165. [PMID: 37940400 DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The generation of space radiation on Earth is essential to study and predict the effects of radiation on space travelers, electronics, or materials during future long-term space missions. Next to the heavy ions of the galactic cosmic rays, solar particle events play a major role concerning the radiation risk in space, which consist of intermediate-energy protons with broad spectra and energies up to a few hundred MeV. This work describes an approach for the ground-based generation of solar particle events. As a proof of principle, a passive beam modulator with a specific funnel-shaped periodic structure was designed and is used to convert a monoenergetic proton beam into a spectral proton energy distribution, mimicking a solar particle event from August 1972, which is known as one of the strongest recorded SPE events. The required proton beam of 220 MeV can be generated at many existing particle accelerators at research or particle therapy facilities. The planning, manufacturing and testing of the modulator is described step by step. Its correct manufacturing and the characteristics of the solar particle event simulator are tested experimentally and by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Future modulators will follow the same concept with minor adjustments such as a larger lateral extension. As of now, the presented beam modulator is available to the research community to conduct experiments at GSI for exposure under solar particle event conditions. In addition, researchers can use and apply the described concept to design and print their individualized modulator to reproduce any desired solar particle event spectrum or request the presented modulator geometry from the authors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabea Pfuhl
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Uli Weber
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Felix Horst
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany; OncoRay - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany(1)
| | - Marco Durante
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany; Technische Universität Darmstadt, Institut für Physik Kondensierter Materie, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christoph Schuy
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
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8
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Raber J, Sharpton TJ. Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Neurological and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Semin Neurol 2023; 43:634-644. [PMID: 37607587 PMCID: PMC10953489 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1771459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Increasing research links the gut microbiome to neurodegenerative disorders. The gut microbiome communicates with the central nervous system via the gut-brain axis and affects behavioral and cognitive phenotypes. Dysbiosis (a dysfunctional microbiome) drives increased intestinal permeability and inflammation that can negatively affect the brain via the gut-brain axis. Healthier metabolic and lipid profiles and cognitive phenotypes are observed in individuals with more distinct microbiomes. In this review, we discuss the role of the gut microbiome and gut-brain axis in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and related animal models, in cancer and cancer treatments, and in metabolic syndrome. We also discuss strategies to improve the gut microbiome and ultimately brain function. Because healthier cognitive phenotypes are observed in individuals with more distinct microbiomes, increased efforts are warranted to develop therapeutic strategies for those at increased risk of developing neurological disorders and patients diagnosed with those disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
- College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, Oregon
| | - Thomas J. Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
- Department of Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
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9
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Puukila S, Siu O, Rubinstein L, Tahimic CGT, Lowe M, Tabares Ruiz S, Korostenskij I, Semel M, Iyer J, Mhatre SD, Shirazi-Fard Y, Alwood JS, Paul AM, Ronca AE. Galactic Cosmic Irradiation Alters Acute and Delayed Species-Typical Behavior in Male and Female Mice. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051214. [PMID: 37240858 DOI: 10.3390/life13051214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to space galactic cosmic radiation is a principal consideration for deep space missions. While the effects of space irradiation on the nervous system are not fully known, studies in animal models have shown that exposure to ionizing radiation can cause neuronal damage and lead to downstream cognitive and behavioral deficits. Cognitive health implications put humans and missions at risk, and with the upcoming Artemis missions in which female crew will play a major role, advance critical analysis of the neurological and performance responses of male and female rodents to space radiation is vital. Here, we tested the hypothesis that simulated Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCRSim) exposure disrupts species-typical behavior in mice, including burrowing, rearing, grooming, and nest-building that depend upon hippocampal and medial prefrontal cortex circuitry. Behavior comprises a remarkably well-integrated representation of the biology of the whole animal that informs overall neural and physiological status, revealing functional impairment. We conducted a systematic dose-response analysis of mature (6-month-old) male and female mice exposed to either 5, 15, or 50 cGy 5-ion GCRSim (H, Si, He, O, Fe) at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). Behavioral performance was evaluated at 72 h (acute) and 91-days (delayed) postradiation exposure. Specifically, species-typical behavior patterns comprising burrowing, rearing, and grooming as well as nest building were analyzed. A Neuroscore test battery (spontaneous activity, proprioception, vibrissae touch, limb symmetry, lateral turning, forelimb outstretching, and climbing) was performed at the acute timepoint to investigate early sensorimotor deficits postirradiation exposure. Nest construction, a measure of neurological and organizational function in rodents, was evaluated using a five-stage Likert scale 'Deacon' score that ranged from 1 (a low score where the Nestlet is untouched) to 5 (a high score where the Nestlet is completely shredded and shaped into a nest). Differential acute responses were observed in females relative to males with respect to species-typical behavior following 15 cGy exposure while delayed responses were observed in female grooming following 50 cGy exposure. Significant sex differences were observed at both timepoints in nest building. No deficits in sensorimotor behavior were observed via the Neuroscore. This study revealed subtle, sexually dimorphic GCRSim exposure effects on mouse behavior. Our analysis provides a clearer understanding of GCR dose effects on species typical, sensorimotor and organizational behaviors at acute and delayed timeframes postirradiation, thereby setting the stage for the identification of underlying cellular and molecular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Puukila
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Olivia Siu
- Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP), NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA
| | - Linda Rubinstein
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD 21046, USA
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Hospital, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel
| | - Candice G T Tahimic
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Moniece Lowe
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA 98154, USA
| | - Steffy Tabares Ruiz
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA 98154, USA
| | - Ivan Korostenskij
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Maya Semel
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Janani Iyer
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD 21046, USA
- KBR, Houston, TX 77002, USA
| | - Siddhita D Mhatre
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- KBR, Houston, TX 77002, USA
| | - Yasaman Shirazi-Fard
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Joshua S Alwood
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Amber M Paul
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA 98154, USA
| | - April E Ronca
- NASA, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Wake Forest Medical School, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
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10
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Fernandes A, Oliveira A, Soares R, Barata P. The Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Gut Microbiota: What Can Animal Models Tell Us?-A Systematic Review. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:3877-3910. [PMID: 37232718 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45050249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiota is relatively stable; however, various factors can precipitate an imbalance that is known to be associated with various diseases. We aimed to conduct a systematic literature review of studies reporting the effects of ionizing radiation on the composition, richness, and diversity of the gut microbiota of animals. METHODS A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases. The standard methodologies expected by Cochrane were utilized. RESULTS We identified 3531 non-duplicated records and selected twenty-nine studies after considering the defined inclusion criteria. The studies were found to be heterogeneous, with significant differences in the chosen populations, methodologies, and outcomes. Overall, we found evidence of an association between ionizing radiation exposure and dysbiosis, with a reduction of microbiota diversity and richness and alterations in the taxonomic composition. Although differences in taxonomic composition varied across studies, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Alistipes, and Akkermancia most consistently reported to be relatively more abundant after ionizing radiation exposure, whereas Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Lactobacillus were relatively reduced. CONCLUSIONS This review highlights the effect of ionizing exposure on gut microbiota diversity, richness, and composition. It paves the way for further studies on human subjects regarding gastrointestinal side effects in patients submitted to treatments with ionizing radiation and the development of potential preventive, therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fernandes
- Department Nuclear Medicine, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de São João, E.P.E., 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Oliveira
- Department Nuclear Medicine, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de São João, E.P.E., 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel Soares
- i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biomedicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Barata
- i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
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11
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The Effects of Galactic Cosmic Rays on the Central Nervous System: From Negative to Unexpectedly Positive Effects That Astronauts May Encounter. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030400. [PMID: 36979092 PMCID: PMC10044754 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) pose a serious threat to astronauts’ health during deep space missions. The possible functional alterations of the central nervous system (CNS) under GCR exposure can be critical for mission success. Despite the obvious negative effects of ionizing radiation, a number of neutral or even positive effects of GCR irradiation on CNS functions were revealed in ground-based experiments with rodents and primates. This review is focused on the GCR exposure effects on emotional state and cognition, emphasizing positive effects and their potential mechanisms. We integrate these data with GCR effects on adult neurogenesis and pathological protein aggregation, forming a complete picture. We conclude that GCR exposure causes multidirectional effects on cognition, which may be associated with emotional state alterations. However, the irradiation in space-related doses either has no effect or has performance enhancing effects in solving high-level cognition tasks and tasks with a high level of motivation. We suppose the model of neurotransmission changes after irradiation, although the molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon are not fully understood.
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12
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Huff JL, Poignant F, Rahmanian S, Khan N, Blakely EA, Britten RA, Chang P, Fornace AJ, Hada M, Kronenberg A, Norman RB, Patel ZS, Shay JW, Weil MM, Simonsen LC, Slaba TC. Galactic cosmic ray simulation at the NASA space radiation laboratory - Progress, challenges and recommendations on mixed-field effects. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2023; 36:90-104. [PMID: 36682835 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
For missions beyond low Earth orbit to the moon or Mars, space explorers will encounter a complex radiation field composed of various ion species with a broad range of energies. Such missions pose significant radiation protection challenges that need to be solved in order to minimize exposures and associated health risks. An innovative galactic cosmic ray simulator (GCRsim) was recently developed at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The GCRsim technology is intended to represent major components of the space radiation environment in a ground analog laboratory setting where it can be used to improve understanding of biological risks and serve as a testbed for countermeasure development and validation. The current GCRsim consists of 33 energetic ion beams that collectively simulate the primary and secondary GCR field encountered by humans in space over the broad range of particle types, energies, and linear energy transfer (LET) of interest to health effects. A virtual workshop was held in December 2020 to assess the status of the NASA baseline GCRsim. Workshop attendees examined various aspects of simulator design, with a particular emphasis on beam selection strategies. Experimental results, modeling approaches, areas of consensus, and questions of concern were also discussed in detail. This report includes a summary of the GCRsim workshop and a description of the current status of the GCRsim. This information is important for future advancements and applications in space radiobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice L Huff
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23681, United States of America.
| | - Floriane Poignant
- National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, 23666, United States of America
| | - Shirin Rahmanian
- National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, 23666, United States of America
| | - Nafisah Khan
- National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, 23666, United States of America
| | - Eleanor A Blakely
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States of America
| | - Richard A Britten
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Leroy T Canoles Jr. Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, 23507, United States of America
| | - Polly Chang
- SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States of America
| | - Albert J Fornace
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, United States of America
| | - Megumi Hada
- Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, 77446, United States of America
| | - Amy Kronenberg
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States of America
| | - Ryan B Norman
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23681, United States of America
| | - Zarana S Patel
- KBR Inc., Houston, TX, 77058, United States of America; NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, 77058, United States of America
| | - Jerry W Shay
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, United States of America
| | - Michael M Weil
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, United States of America
| | - Lisa C Simonsen
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, 20546, United States of America
| | - Tony C Slaba
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23681, United States of America
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13
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Combined space stressors induce independent behavioral deficits predicted by early peripheral blood monocytes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1749. [PMID: 36720960 PMCID: PMC9889764 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28508-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Interplanetary space travel poses many hazards to the human body. To protect astronaut health and performance on critical missions, there is first a need to understand the effects of deep space hazards, including ionizing radiation, confinement, and altered gravity. Previous studies of rodents exposed to a single such stressor document significant deficits, but our study is the first to investigate possible cumulative and synergistic impacts of simultaneous ionizing radiation, confinement, and altered gravity on behavior and cognition. Our cohort was divided between 6-month-old female and male mice in group, social isolation, or hindlimb unloading housing, exposed to 0 or 50 cGy of 5 ion simplified simulated galactic cosmic radiation (GCRsim). We report interactions and independent effects of GCRsim exposure and housing conditions on behavioral and cognitive performance. Exposure to GCRsim drove changes in immune cell populations in peripheral blood collected early after irradiation, while housing conditions drove changes in blood collected at a later point. Female mice were largely resilient to deficits observed in male mice. Finally, we used principal component analysis to represent total deficits as principal component scores, which were predicted by general linear models using GCR exposure, housing condition, and early blood biomarkers.
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14
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Simmons P, Trujillo M, McElroy T, Binz R, Pathak R, Allen AR. Evaluating the effects of low-dose simulated galactic cosmic rays on murine hippocampal-dependent cognitive performance. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:908632. [PMID: 36561122 PMCID: PMC9765097 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.908632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Space exploration has advanced substantially over recent decades and plans to increase the duration of deep space missions are in preparation. One of the primary health concerns is potential damage to the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in loss of cognitive abilities and function. The majority of ground-based research on space radiation-induced health risks has been conducted using single particle simulations, which do not effectively model real-world scenarios. Thus, to improve the safety of space missions, we must expand our understanding of the effects of simulated galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) on the CNS. To assess the effects of low-dose GCR, we subjected 6-month-old male BALB/c mice to 50 cGy 5-beam simplified GCR spectrum (1H, 28Si, 4He, 16O, and 56Fe) whole-body irradiation at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. Animals were tested for cognitive performance with Y-maze and Morris water maze tests 3 months after irradiation. Irradiated animals had impaired short-term memory and lacked spatial memory retention on day 5 of the probe trial. Glial cell analysis by flow cytometry showed no significant changes in oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia or neural precursor cells (NPC's) between the sham group and GCR group. Bone marrow cytogenetic data showed a significant increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations after GCR exposure. Finally, tandem mass tag proteomics identified 3,639 proteins, 113 of which were differentially expressed when comparing sham versus GCR exposure (fold change > 1.5; p < 0.05). Our data suggest exposure to low-dose GCR induces cognitive deficits by impairing short-term memory and spatial memory retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Simmons
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Madison Trujillo
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Taylor McElroy
- Department of Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Regina Binz
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Rupak Pathak
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Antiño R. Allen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States,*Correspondence: Antiño R. Allen,
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15
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Peter JS, Schuemann J, Held KD, McNamara AL. Nano-scale simulation of neuronal damage by galactic cosmic rays. Phys Med Biol 2022; 67:10.1088/1361-6560/ac95f4. [PMID: 36172820 PMCID: PMC9951267 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac95f4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The effects of realistic, deep space radiation environments on neuronal function remain largely unexplored.In silicomodeling studies of radiation-induced neuronal damage provide important quantitative information about physico-chemical processes that are not directly accessible through radiobiological experiments. Here, we present the first nano-scale computational analysis of broad-spectrum galactic cosmic ray irradiation in a realistic neuron geometry. We constructed thousands ofin silicorealizations of a CA1 pyramidal neuron, each with over 3500 stochastically generated dendritic spines. We simulated the entire 33 ion-energy beam spectrum currently in use at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory galactic cosmic ray simulator (GCRSim) using the TOol for PArticle Simulation (TOPAS) and TOPAS-nBio Monte Carlo-based track structure simulation toolkits. We then assessed the resulting nano-scale dosimetry, physics processes, and fluence patterns. Additional comparisons were made to a simplified 6 ion-energy spectrum (SimGCRSim) also used in NASA experiments. For a neuronal absorbed dose of 0.5 Gy GCRSim, we report an average of 250 ± 10 ionizations per micrometer of dendritic length, and an additional 50 ± 10, 7 ± 2, and 4 ± 2 ionizations per mushroom, thin, and stubby spine, respectively. We show that neuronal energy deposition by proton andα-particle tracks declines approximately hyperbolically with increasing primary particle energy at mission-relevant energies. We demonstrate an inverted exponential relationship between dendritic segment irradiation probability and neuronal absorbed dose for each ion-energy beam. We also find that there are no significant differences in the average physical responses between the GCRSim and SimGCRSim spectra. To our knowledge, this is the first nano-scale simulation study of a realistic neuron geometry using the GCRSim and SimGCRSim spectra. These results may be used as inputs to theoretical models, aid in the interpretation of experimental results, and help guide future study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonah S Peter
- Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Jan Schuemann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Kathryn D Held
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Aimee L McNamara
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
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16
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Mitochondria-Targeted Human Catalase in the Mouse Longevity MCAT Model Mitigates Head-Tilt Bedrest-Induced Neuro-Inflammation in the Hippocampus. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12111838. [DOI: 10.3390/life12111838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgravity (modeled by head-tilt bedrest and hind-limb unloading), experienced during prolonged spaceflight, results in neurological consequences, central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, and potentially impairment during the performance of critical tasks. Similar pathologies are observed in bedrest, sedentary lifestyle, and muscle disuse on Earth. In our previous study, we saw that head-tilt bedrest together with social isolation upregulated the milieu of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and plasma. These changes were mitigated in a MCAT mouse model overexpressing human catalase in the mitochondria, pointing out the importance of ROS signaling in this stress response. Here, we used a head-tilt model in socially housed mice to tease out the effects of head-tilt bedrest without isolation. In order to find the underlying molecular mechanisms that provoked the cytokine response, we measured CD68, an indicator of microglial activation in the hippocampus, as well as changes in normal in-cage behavior. We hypothesized that hindlimb unloading (HU) will elicit microglial hippocampal activations, which will be mitigated in the MCAT ROS-quenching mice model. Indeed, we saw an elevation of the activated microglia CD68 marker following HU in the hippocampus, and this pathology was mitigated in MCAT mice. Additionally, we identified cytokines in the hippocampus, which had significant positive correlations with CD68 and negative correlations with exploratory behaviors, indicating a link between neuroinflammation and behavioral consequences. Unveiling a correlation between molecular and behavioral changes could reveal a biomarker indicative of these responses and could also result in a potential target for the treatment and prevention of cognitive changes following long space missions and/or muscle disuse on Earth.
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17
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Kerry O'Banion M. Microglia: Rheostats of space radiation effects in the CNS microenvironment. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2022; 35:180-186. [PMID: 36336364 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.08.002] [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: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microglia are innate immune cells within the brain that arise from a distinct myeloid lineage. Like other tissue resident macrophages, microglia respond to injury or immune challenges and participate in reparative processes such as phagocytosis to preserve normal function. Importantly, they also participate in normal homeostatic processes including maintenance of neurogenic niches and synaptic plasticity associated with development. This review highlights aspects of microglial biology and how repeated insults that occur with age, neurodegenerative disease and possibly radiation exposure may heighten microglial responses and contribute to their dysfunction, creating a situation where their normal reparative mechanisms are no longer sufficient to maintain brain health. These ideas are discussed in the context of an evolving literature focused on microglial responses as possible targets for mitigation of late CNS radiation effects that represent potential risks for future exploration of deep space environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kerry O'Banion
- Department of Neuroscience, USA; Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, USA; Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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18
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Miller KB, Mi KL, Nelson GA, Norman RB, Patel ZS, Huff JL. Ionizing radiation, cerebrovascular disease, and consequent dementia: A review and proposed framework relevant to space radiation exposure. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1008640. [PMID: 36388106 PMCID: PMC9640983 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1008640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Space exploration requires the characterization and management or mitigation of a variety of human health risks. Exposure to space radiation is one of the main health concerns because it has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and both acute and late neurodegeneration. Space radiation-induced decrements to the vascular system may impact the risk for cerebrovascular disease and consequent dementia. These risks may be independent or synergistic with direct damage to central nervous system tissues. The purpose of this work is to review epidemiological and experimental data regarding the impact of low-to-moderate dose ionizing radiation on the central nervous system and the cerebrovascular system. A proposed framework outlines how space radiation-induced effects on the vasculature may increase risk for both cerebrovascular dysfunction and neural and cognitive adverse outcomes. The results of this work suggest that there are multiple processes by which ionizing radiation exposure may impact cerebrovascular function including increases in oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, endothelial cell dysfunction, arterial stiffening, atherosclerosis, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Cerebrovascular adverse outcomes may also promote neural and cognitive adverse outcomes. However, there are many gaps in both the human and preclinical evidence base regarding the long-term impact of ionizing radiation exposure on brain health due to heterogeneity in both exposures and outcomes. The unique composition of the space radiation environment makes the translation of the evidence base from terrestrial exposures to space exposures difficult. Additional investigation and understanding of the impact of low-to-moderate doses of ionizing radiation including high (H) atomic number (Z) and energy (E) (HZE) ions on the cerebrovascular system is needed. Furthermore, investigation of how decrements in vascular systems may contribute to development of neurodegenerative diseases in independent or synergistic pathways is important for protecting the long-term health of astronauts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gregory A. Nelson
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
- KBR Inc., Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ryan B. Norman
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
| | - Zarana S. Patel
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
- KBR Inc., Houston, TX, United States
| | - Janice L. Huff
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
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19
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Kundu P, Holden S, Paraiso IL, Sudhakar R, McQuesten C, Choi J, Miranda CL, Maier CS, Bobe G, Stevens JF, Raber J. ApoE isoform-dependent effects of xanthohumol on high fat diet-induced cognitive impairments and hippocampal metabolic pathways. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:954980. [PMID: 36278228 PMCID: PMC9583926 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.954980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Consumption of a high fat diet (HFD) is linked to metabolic syndrome and cognitive impairments. This is exacerbated in age-related cognitive decline (ACD) and in individuals with a genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is involved in cholesterol metabolism. In humans, there are three major isoforms, E2, E3, and E4. Compared to E3, E4 increases ACD and AD risk and vulnerability to the deleterious cognitive effects of a HFD. The plant compound Xanthohumol (XN) had beneficial effects on cognition and metabolism in C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) male mice put on a HFD at 9 weeks of age for 13 weeks. As the effects of XN in the context of a HFD in older WT, E3, and E4 female and male mice are not known, in the current study male and female WT, E3, and E4 mice were fed a HFD alone or a HFD containing 0.07% XN for 10 or 19 weeks, starting at 6 months of age, prior to the beginning of behavioral and cognitive testing. XN showed sex- and ApoE isoform-dependent effects on cognitive performance. XN-treated E4 and WT, but not E3, mice had higher glucose transporter protein levels in the hippocampus and cortex than HFD-treated mice. E3 and E4 mice had higher glucose transporter protein levels in the hippocampus and lower glucose transporter protein levels in the cortex than WT mice. In the standard experiment, regardless of XN treatment, E4 mice had nearly double as high ceramide and sphingomyelin levels than E3 mice and male mice had higher level of glycosylated ceramide than female mice. When the differential effects of HFD in E3 and E4 males were assessed, the arginine and proline metabolism pathway was affected. In the extended exposure experiment, in E3 males XN treatment affected the arginine and proline metabolism and the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. Myristic acid levels were decreased in XN-treated E3 males but not E3 females. These data support the therapeutic potential for XN to ameliorate HFD-induced cognitive impairments and highlight the importance of considering sex and ApoE isoform in determining who might most benefit from this dietary supplement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Kundu
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Sarah Holden
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Ines L. Paraiso
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Reetesh Sudhakar
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Chloe McQuesten
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Jaewoo Choi
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Cristobal L. Miranda
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Claudia S. Maier
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Gerd Bobe
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jan F. Stevens
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Departments of Neurology and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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20
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Mhatre SD, Iyer J, Petereit J, Dolling-Boreham RM, Tyryshkina A, Paul AM, Gilbert R, Jensen M, Woolsey RJ, Anand S, Sowa MB, Quilici DR, Costes SV, Girirajan S, Bhattacharya S. Artificial gravity partially protects space-induced neurological deficits in Drosophila melanogaster. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111279. [PMID: 36070701 PMCID: PMC10503492 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Spaceflight poses risks to the central nervous system (CNS), and understanding neurological responses is important for future missions. We report CNS changes in Drosophila aboard the International Space Station in response to spaceflight microgravity (SFμg) and artificially simulated Earth gravity (SF1g) via inflight centrifugation as a countermeasure. While inflight behavioral analyses of SFμg exhibit increased activity, postflight analysis displays significant climbing defects, highlighting the sensitivity of behavior to altered gravity. Multi-omics analysis shows alterations in metabolic, oxidative stress and synaptic transmission pathways in both SFμg and SF1g; however, neurological changes immediately postflight, including neuronal loss, glial cell count alterations, oxidative damage, and apoptosis, are seen only in SFμg. Additionally, progressive neuronal loss and a glial phenotype in SF1g and SFμg brains, with pronounced phenotypes in SFμg, are seen upon acclimation to Earth conditions. Overall, our results indicate that artificial gravity partially protects the CNS from the adverse effects of spaceflight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhita D Mhatre
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; KBR, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; COSMIAC Research Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Janani Iyer
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; KBR, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
| | - Juli Petereit
- Nevada Bioinformatics Center, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Roberta M Dolling-Boreham
- Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada; Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA 94035, USA
| | - Anastasia Tyryshkina
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Amber M Paul
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA 94035, USA; NASA Postdoctoral Program, Universities Space Research Association, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA
| | - Rachel Gilbert
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; NASA Postdoctoral Program, Universities Space Research Association, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Matthew Jensen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | | | - Sulekha Anand
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192, USA
| | - Marianne B Sowa
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - David R Quilici
- Nevada Proteomics Center, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Sylvain V Costes
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Santhosh Girirajan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sharmila Bhattacharya
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Biological and Physical Sciences Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington DC 20024, USA.
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21
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Laiakis EC, Pinheiro M, Nguyen T, Nguyen H, Beheshti A, Dutta SM, Russell WK, Emmett MR, Britten RA. Quantitative proteomic analytic approaches to identify metabolic changes in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to space radiation. Front Physiol 2022; 13:971282. [PMID: 36091373 PMCID: PMC9459391 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.971282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NASA’s planned mission to Mars will result in astronauts being exposed to ∼350 mSv/yr of Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCR). A growing body of data from ground-based experiments indicates that exposure to space radiation doses (approximating those that astronauts will be exposed to on a mission to Mars) impairs a variety of cognitive processes, including cognitive flexibility tasks. Some studies report that 33% of individuals may experience severe cognitive impairment. Translating the results from ground-based rodent studies into tangible risk estimates for astronauts is an enormous challenge, but it would be germane for NASA to use the vast body of data from the rodent studies to start developing appropriate countermeasures, in the expectation that some level of space radiation (SR) -induced cognitive impairment could occur in astronauts. While some targeted studies have reported radiation-induced changes in the neurotransmission properties and/or increased neuroinflammation within space radiation exposed brains, there remains little information that can be used to start the development of a mechanism-based countermeasure strategy. In this study, we have employed a robust label-free mass spectrometry (MS) -based untargeted quantitative proteomic profiling approach to characterize the composition of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) proteome in rats that have been exposed to 15 cGy of 600 MeV/n28Si ions. A variety of analytical techniques were used to mine the generated expression data, which in such studies is typically hampered by low and variable sample size. We have identified several pathways and proteins whose expression alters as a result of space radiation exposure, including decreased mitochondrial function, and a further subset of proteins differs in rats that have a high level of cognitive performance after SR exposure in comparison with those that have low performance levels. While this study has provided further insight into how SR impacts upon neurophysiology, and what adaptive responses can be invoked to prevent the emergence of SR-induced cognitive impairment, the main objective of this paper is to outline strategies that can be used by others to analyze sub-optimal data sets and to identify new information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evagelia C. Laiakis
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
- *Correspondence: Evagelia C. Laiakis,
| | - Maisa Pinheiro
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Tin Nguyen
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Hung Nguyen
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Afshin Beheshti
- KBR, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sucharita M. Dutta
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - William K. Russell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Mark R. Emmett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Richard A. Britten
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
- Center for Integrative Neuroinflammatory and Inflammatory Diseases, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
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22
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Kokhan VS, Ustyugov AA, Pikalov VA. Dynamics of Dopamine and Other Monoamines Content in Rat Brain after Single Low-Dose Carbon Nuclei Irradiation. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12091306. [PMID: 36143343 PMCID: PMC9502711 DOI: 10.3390/life12091306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Space radiation, presented primarily by high-charge and -energy particles (HZEs), has a substantial impact on the central nervous system (CNS) of astronauts. This impact, surprisingly, has not only negative but also positive effects on CNS functions. Despite the fact that the mechanisms of this effect have not yet been elucidated, several studies indicate a key role for monoaminergic networks underlying these effects. Here, we investigated the effects of acute irradiation with 450 MeV/n carbon (12C) nuclei at a dose of 0.14 Gy on Wistar rats; a state of anxiety was accessed using a light–dark box, spatial memory in a Morris water maze, and the dynamics of monoamine metabolism in several brain morphological structures using HPLC. No behavioral changes were observed. Irradiation led to the immediate suppression of dopamine turnover in the prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and striatum, while a decrease in the level of norepinephrine was detected in the amygdala. However, these effects were transient. The deferred effect of dopamine turnover increase was found in the hippocampus. These data underscore the ability of even low-dose 12C irradiation to affect monoaminergic networks. However, this impact is transient and is not accompanied by behavioral alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor S. Kokhan
- V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, 119034 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-92-5462-9948
| | - Alexey A. Ustyugov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds RAS, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
| | - Vladimir A. Pikalov
- Institute for High Energy Physics Named by A.A. Logunov of National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, 142281 Protvino, Russia
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23
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Britten RA, Fesshaye A, Tidmore A, Blackwell AA. Similar Loss of Executive Function Performance after Exposure to Low (10 cGy) Doses of Single (4He) Ions and the Multi-Ion GCRSim Beam. Radiat Res 2022; 198:375-383. [DOI: 10.1667/rade-22-00022.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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24
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Ton ST, Laghi JR, Tsai SY, Blackwell AA, Adamczyk NS, Oltmanns JRO, Britten RA, Wallace DG, Kartje GL. Exposure to 5 cGy 28Si Particles Induces Long-Term Microglial Activation in the Striatum and Subventricular Zone and Concomitant Neurogenic Suppression. Radiat Res 2022; 198:28-39. [DOI: 10.1667/rade-21-00021.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The proposed mission to Mars will expose astronauts to space radiation that is known to adversely affect cognition and tasks that rely on fine sensorimotor function. Space radiation has also been shown to affect the microglial and neurogenic responses in the center nervous system (CNS). We recently reported that a low dose of 5 cGy 600 MeV/n 28Si results in impaired cognition and skilled motor behavior in adult rats. Since these tasks rely at least in part on the proper functioning of the striatum, we examined striatal microglial cells in these same subjects. Using morphometric analysis, we found that 28Si exposure increased activated microglial cells in the striatum. The majority of these striatal Iba1+ microglia were ED1–, indicating that they were in an alternatively activated state, where microglia do not have phagocytic activity but may be releasing cytokines that could negatively impact neuronal function. In the other areas studied, Iba1+ microglial cells were increased in the subventricular zone (SVZ), but not in the dentate gyrus (DG). Additionally, we examined the relationship between the microglial response and neurogenesis. An analysis of new neurons in the DG revealed an increase in doublecortin-positive (DCX+) hilar ectopic granule cells (hEGC) which correlated with Iba1+ cells, suggesting that microglial cells contributed to this aberrant distribution which may adversely affect hippocampal function. Taken together, these results indicate that a single dose of 28Si radiation results in persistent cellular effects in the CNS that may impact astronauts both in the short and long-term following deep space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Son T. Ton
- Research Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
| | - Julia R. Laghi
- Research Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
| | - Shih-Yen Tsai
- Research Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
| | | | | | | | - Richard A. Britten
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Douglas G. Wallace
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois
| | - Gwendolyn L. Kartje
- Research Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division, Maywood, Illinois
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25
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Andreev-Andrievskiy A, Dolgov O, Alberts J, Popova A, Lagereva E, Anokhin K, Vinogradova O. Mice display learning and behavioral deficits after a 30-day spaceflight on Bion-M1 satellite. Behav Brain Res 2022; 419:113682. [PMID: 34843743 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Profound effects of spaceflight on the physiology of humans and non-human animals are well-documented but incompletely explored. Current goals to undertake interplanetary missions increase the urgency to learn more about adaptation to prolonged spaceflight and readaptation to Earth-normal conditions, especially with the inclusion of radiation exposures greater than those confronted in traditional, orbital flights. The 30-day-long Bion M-1 biosatellite flight was conducted at a relatively high orbit, exposing the mice to greater doses of radiation in addition to microgravity, a combination of factors relevant to Mars missions. Results of the present studies with mice provide insights into the consequences on brain function of long-duration spaceflight. After landing, mice showed profound deficits in vestibular responses during aerial drop tests. Spaceflown mice displayed reduced grip strength, rotarod performance, and voluntary wheel running, each, which improved gradually but incompletely over the 7-days of post-flight testing. Continuous monitoring in the animals' home cage activity, in combination with open-field and other tests of motor performance, revealed indices of altered affect, expressed as hyperactivity, potentiated thigmotaxis, and avoidance of open areas which, together, presented a syndrome of persistent anxiety-like behavior. A learned, operant response acquired before spaceflight was retained, whereas the acquisition of a new task was impaired after the flight. We integrate these observations with other results from Bion-M1's program, identifying deficits in musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, as well as in the brain and spinal cord, including altered gene expression patterns and the accompanying neurochemical changes that could underlie our behavioral findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Andreev-Andrievskiy
- SSC RF Institute of biomedical problems, 76A Khoroshevskoe av, Moscow 123007, Russia; Biology faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-12 Leninskie gory, Moscow 119234, Russia.
| | - Oleg Dolgov
- NBICS center, NRC Kurchatov institute, 1 Academician Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Jeffrey Alberts
- Indiana University, 107 S. Indiana Avenue Bloomington, IN 47405-7000, USA
| | - Anfisa Popova
- SSC RF Institute of biomedical problems, 76A Khoroshevskoe av, Moscow 123007, Russia
| | - Evgeniia Lagereva
- SSC RF Institute of biomedical problems, 76A Khoroshevskoe av, Moscow 123007, Russia
| | - Konstantin Anokhin
- NBICS center, NRC Kurchatov institute, 1 Academician Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia; Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology, 11/4, Mohovaya str., Moscow 103009, Russia
| | - Olga Vinogradova
- SSC RF Institute of biomedical problems, 76A Khoroshevskoe av, Moscow 123007, Russia
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26
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Kundu P, Stagaman K, Kasschau K, Holden S, Shulzhenko N, Sharpton TJ, Raber J. Fecal Implants From App NL-G-F and App NL-G-F/E4 Donor Mice Sufficient to Induce Behavioral Phenotypes in Germ-Free Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:791128. [PMID: 35210996 PMCID: PMC8860839 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.791128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome and the gut brain axis are potential determinants of Alzheimer's disease (AD) etiology or severity and gut microbiota might coordinate with the gut-brain axis to regulate behavioral phenotypes in AD mouse models. Using 6-month-old human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) knock-in (KI) mice, which contain the Swedish and Iberian mutations [APP NL-F (App NL-F)] or the Arctic mutation as third mutation [APP NL-G-F (App NL-G-F)], behavioral and cognitive performance is associated with the gut microbiome and APP genotype modulates this association. In this study, we determined the feasibility of behavioral testing of mice in a biosafety cabinet and whether stool from 6-month-old App NL-G-F mice or App NL-G-F crossed with human apoE4 targeted replacement mice is sufficient to induce behavioral phenotypes in 4-5 month-old germ-free C57BL/6J mice 4 weeks following inoculation. We also compared the behavioral phenotypes of the recipient mice with that of the donor mice. Finally, we assessed cortical Aβ levels and analyzed the gut microbiome in the recipient mice. These results show that it is feasible to behaviorally test germ-free mice inside a biosafety cabinet. However, the host genotype was critical in modulating the pattern of induced behavioral phenotypes as compared to those seen in the genotype- and sex-match donor mice. Male mice that received stool from App NL-G-F and App NL-G-F/E4 donor genotypes tended to have lower body weight as compared to wild type, an effect not observed among donor mice. Additionally, App NL-G-F/E4 recipient males, but not females, showed impaired object recognition. Insoluble Aβ40 levels were detected in App NL-G-F and App NL-G-F/E4 recipient mice. Recipients of App NL-G-F, but not App NL-G-F/E4, donor mice carried cortical insoluble Aβ40 levels that positively correlated with activity levels on the first and second day of open field testing. For recipient mice, the interaction between donor genotype and several behavioral scores predicted gut microbiome alpha-diversity. Similarly, two behavioral performance scores predicted microbiome composition in recipient mice, but this association was dependent on the donor genotype. These data suggest that genotypes of the donor and recipient might need to be considered for developing novel therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiome in AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Kundu
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Keaton Stagaman
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Kristin Kasschau
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Sarah Holden
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Natalia Shulzhenko
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Thomas J. Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Department of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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27
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Boutros SW, Zimmerman B, Nagy SC, Lee JS, Perez R, Raber J. Amifostine (WR-2721) Mitigates Cognitive Injury Induced by Heavy Ion Radiation in Male Mice and Alters Behavior and Brain Connectivity. Front Physiol 2021; 12:770502. [PMID: 34867479 PMCID: PMC8637850 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.770502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep space environment contains many risks to astronauts during space missions, such as galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) comprised of naturally occurring heavy ions. Heavy ion radiation is increasingly being used in cancer therapy, including novel regimens involving carbon therapy. Previous investigations involving simulated space radiation have indicated a host of detrimental cognitive and behavioral effects. Therefore, there is an increasing need to counteract these deleterious effects of heavy ion radiation. Here, we assessed the ability of amifostine to mitigate cognitive injury induced by simulated GCRs in C57Bl/6J male and female mice. Six-month-old mice received an intraperitoneal injection of saline, 107 mg/kg, or 214 mg/kg of amifostine 1 h prior to exposure to a simplified five-ion radiation (protons, 28Si, 4He, 16O, and 56Fe) at 500 mGy or sham radiation. Mice were behaviorally tested 2-3 months later. Male mice that received saline and radiation exposure failed to show novel object recognition, which was reversed by both doses of amifostine. Conversely, female mice that received saline and radiation exposure displayed intact object recognition, but those that received amifostine prior to radiation did not. Amifostine and radiation also had distinct effects on males and females in the open field, with amifostine affecting distance moved over time in both sexes, and radiation affecting time spent in the center in females only. Whole-brain analysis of cFos immunoreactivity in male mice indicated that amifostine and radiation altered regional connectivity in areas involved in novel object recognition. These data support that amifostine has potential as a countermeasure against cognitive injury following proton and heavy ion irradiation in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Weber Boutros
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Benjamin Zimmerman
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Sydney C. Nagy
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Joanne S. Lee
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Ruby Perez
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Departments of Neurology and Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Portland, OR, United States
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28
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Mhatre SD, Iyer J, Puukila S, Paul AM, Tahimic CGT, Rubinstein L, Lowe M, Alwood JS, Sowa MB, Bhattacharya S, Globus RK, Ronca AE. Neuro-consequences of the spaceflight environment. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:908-935. [PMID: 34767877 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
As human space exploration advances to establish a permanent presence beyond the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with NASA's Artemis mission, researchers are striving to understand and address the health challenges of living and working in the spaceflight environment. Exposure to ionizing radiation, microgravity, isolation and other spaceflight hazards pose significant risks to astronauts. Determining neurobiological and neurobehavioral responses, understanding physiological responses under Central Nervous System (CNS) control, and identifying putative mechanisms to inform countermeasure development are critically important to ensuring brain and behavioral health of crew on long duration missions. Here we provide a detailed and comprehensive review of the effects of spaceflight and of ground-based spaceflight analogs, including simulated weightlessness, social isolation, and ionizing radiation on humans and animals. Further, we discuss dietary and non-dietary countermeasures including artificial gravity and antioxidants, among others. Significant future work is needed to ensure that neural, sensorimotor, cognitive and other physiological functions are maintained during extended deep space missions to avoid potentially catastrophic health and safety outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhita D Mhatre
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA; COSMIAC Research Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Janani Iyer
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Stephanie Puukila
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA; Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Amber M Paul
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Candice G T Tahimic
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA; Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Linda Rubinstein
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Moniece Lowe
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98154, USA
| | - Joshua S Alwood
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Marianne B Sowa
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Sharmila Bhattacharya
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Ruth K Globus
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - April E Ronca
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Wake Forest Medical School, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA.
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29
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Raber J, Holden S, Sudhakar R, Hall R, Glaeser B, Lenarczyk M, Rockwell K, Nawarawong N, Sterrett J, Perez R, Leonard SW, Morré J, Choi J, Kronenberg A, Borg A, Kwok A, Stevens JF, Olsen CM, Willey JS, Bobe G, Baker J. Effects of 5-Ion Beam Irradiation and Hindlimb Unloading on Metabolic Pathways in Plasma and Brain of Behaviorally Tested WAG/Rij Rats. Front Physiol 2021; 12:746509. [PMID: 34646164 PMCID: PMC8503608 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.746509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A limitation of simulated space radiation studies is that radiation exposure is not the only environmental challenge astronauts face during missions. Therefore, we characterized behavioral and cognitive performance of male WAG/Rij rats 3 months after sham-irradiation or total body irradiation with a simplified 5-ion mixed beam exposure in the absence or presence of simulated weightlessness using hindlimb unloading (HU) alone. Six months following behavioral and cognitive testing or 9 months following sham-irradiation or total body irradiation, plasma and brain tissues (hippocampus and cortex) were processed to determine whether the behavioral and cognitive effects were associated with long-term alterations in metabolic pathways in plasma and brain. Sham HU, but not irradiated HU, rats were impaired in spatial habituation learning. Rats irradiated with 1.5 Gy showed increased depressive-like behaviors. This was seen in the absence but not presence of HU. Thus, HU has differential effects in sham-irradiated and irradiated animals and specific behavioral measures are associated with plasma levels of distinct metabolites 6 months later. The combined effects of HU and radiation on metabolic pathways in plasma and brain illustrate the complex interaction of environmental stressors and highlights the importance of assessing these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Department of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience, ONPRC, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Sarah Holden
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Reetesh Sudhakar
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Reed Hall
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Breanna Glaeser
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Marek Lenarczyk
- Radiation Biosciences Laboratory, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Kristen Rockwell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Natalie Nawarawong
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jennifer Sterrett
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Ruby Perez
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Scott William Leonard
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey Morré
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jaewoo Choi
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Amy Kronenberg
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Borg
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Andy Kwok
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jan Frederik Stevens
- College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States.,Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Christopher M Olsen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jeffrey S Willey
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Gerd Bobe
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States.,Department of Animal Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - John Baker
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States.,Radiation Biosciences Laboratory, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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30
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Krukowski K, Grue K, Becker M, Elizarraras E, Frias ES, Halvorsen A, Koenig-Zanoff M, Frattini V, Nimmagadda H, Feng X, Jones T, Nelson G, Ferguson AR, Rosi S. The impact of deep space radiation on cognitive performance: From biological sex to biomarkers to countermeasures. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg6702. [PMID: 34652936 PMCID: PMC8519563 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg6702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In the coming decade, astronauts will travel back to the moon in preparation for future Mars missions. Exposure to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is a major obstacle for deep space travel. Using multivariate principal components analysis, we found sex-dimorphic responses in mice exposed to accelerated charged particles to simulate GCR (GCRsim); males displayed impaired spatial learning, whereas females did not. Mechanistically, these GCRsim-induced learning impairments corresponded with chronic microglia activation and synaptic alterations in the hippocampus. Temporary microglia depletion shortly after GCRsim exposure mitigated GCRsim-induced deficits measured months after the radiation exposure. Furthermore, blood monocyte levels measured early after GCRsim exposure were predictive of the late learning deficits and microglia activation measured in the male mice. Our findings (i) advance our understanding of charged particle–induced cognitive challenges, (ii) provide evidence for early peripheral biomarkers for identifying late cognitive deficits, and (iii) offer potential therapeutic strategies for mitigating GCR-induced cognitive loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Krukowski
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Grue
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - McKenna Becker
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Edward Elizarraras
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elma S. Frias
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Aaron Halvorsen
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - McKensie Koenig-Zanoff
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Valentina Frattini
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hasitha Nimmagadda
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xi Feng
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tamako Jones
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Gregory Nelson
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Adam R. Ferguson
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susanna Rosi
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Kavli Institute of Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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31
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Soler I, Yun S, Reynolds RP, Whoolery CW, Tran FH, Kumar PL, Rong Y, DeSalle MJ, Gibson AD, Stowe AM, Kiffer FC, Eisch AJ. Multi-Domain Touchscreen-Based Cognitive Assessment of C57BL/6J Female Mice Shows Whole-Body Exposure to 56Fe Particle Space Radiation in Maturity Improves Discrimination Learning Yet Impairs Stimulus-Response Rule-Based Habit Learning. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:722780. [PMID: 34707486 PMCID: PMC8543003 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.722780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Astronauts during interplanetary missions will be exposed to galactic cosmic radiation, including charged particles like 56Fe. Most preclinical studies with mature, "astronaut-aged" rodents suggest space radiation diminishes performance in classical hippocampal- and prefrontal cortex-dependent tasks. However, a rodent cognitive touchscreen battery unexpectedly revealed 56Fe radiation improves the performance of C57BL/6J male mice in a hippocampal-dependent task (discrimination learning) without changing performance in a striatal-dependent task (rule-based learning). As there are conflicting results on whether the female rodent brain is preferentially injured by or resistant to charged particle exposure, and as the proportion of female vs. male astronauts is increasing, further study on how charged particles influence the touchscreen cognitive performance of female mice is warranted. We hypothesized that, similar to mature male mice, mature female C57BL/6J mice exposed to fractionated whole-body 56Fe irradiation (3 × 6.7cGy 56Fe over 5 days, 600 MeV/n) would improve performance vs. Sham conditions in touchscreen tasks relevant to hippocampal and prefrontal cortical function [e.g., location discrimination reversal (LDR) and extinction, respectively]. In LDR, 56Fe female mice more accurately discriminated two discrete conditioned stimuli relative to Sham mice, suggesting improved hippocampal function. However, 56Fe and Sham female mice acquired a new simple stimulus-response behavior and extinguished this acquired behavior at similar rates, suggesting similar prefrontal cortical function. Based on prior work on multiple memory systems, we next tested whether improved hippocampal-dependent function (discrimination learning) came at the expense of striatal stimulus-response rule-based habit learning (visuomotor conditional learning). Interestingly, 56Fe female mice took more days to reach criteria in this striatal-dependent rule-based test relative to Sham mice. Together, our data support the idea of competition between memory systems, as an 56Fe-induced decrease in striatal-based learning is associated with enhanced hippocampal-based learning. These data emphasize the power of using a touchscreen-based battery to advance our understanding of the effects of space radiation on mission critical cognitive function in females, and underscore the importance of preclinical space radiation risk studies measuring multiple cognitive processes, thereby preventing NASA's risk assessments from being based on a single cognitive domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Soler
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sanghee Yun
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ryan P. Reynolds
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Cody W. Whoolery
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Fionya H. Tran
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Priya L. Kumar
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yuying Rong
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Matthew J. DeSalle
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Adam D. Gibson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ann M. Stowe
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Therapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Frederico C. Kiffer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amelia J. Eisch
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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32
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Prowse N, Hayley S. Microglia and BDNF at the crossroads of stressor related disorders: Towards a unique trophic phenotype. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:135-163. [PMID: 34537262 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Stressors ranging from psychogenic/social to neurogenic/injury to systemic/microbial can impact microglial inflammatory processes, but less is known regarding their effects on trophic properties of microglia. Recent studies do suggest that microglia can modulate neuronal plasticity, possibly through brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This is particularly important given the link between BDNF and neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative pathology. We posit that certain activated states of microglia play a role in maintaining the delicate balance of BDNF release onto neuronal synapses. This focused review will address how different "activators" influence the expression and release of microglial BDNF and address the question of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) expression on microglia. We will then assess sex-based differences in microglial function and BDNF expression, and how microglia are involved in the stress response and related disorders such as depression. Drawing on research from a variety of other disorders, we will highlight challenges and opportunities for modulators that can shift microglia to a "trophic" phenotype with a view to potential therapeutics relevant for stressor-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Prowse
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Shawn Hayley
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
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33
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Klein PM, Alaghband Y, Doan NL, Ru N, Drayson OGG, Baulch JE, Kramár EA, Wood MA, Soltesz I, Limoli CL. Acute, Low-Dose Neutron Exposures Adversely Impact Central Nervous System Function. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9020. [PMID: 34445726 PMCID: PMC8396607 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22169020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A recognized risk of long-duration space travel arises from the elevated exposure astronauts face from galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), which is composed of a diverse array of energetic particles. There is now abundant evidence that exposures to many different charged particle GCR components within acute time frames are sufficient to induce central nervous system deficits that span from the molecular to the whole animal behavioral scale. Enhanced spacecraft shielding can lessen exposures to charged particle GCR components, but may conversely elevate neutron radiation levels. We previously observed that space-relevant neutron radiation doses, chronically delivered at dose-rates expected during planned human exploratory missions, can disrupt hippocampal neuronal excitability, perturb network long-term potentiation and negatively impact cognitive behavior. We have now determined that acute exposures to similar low doses (18 cGy) of neutron radiation can also lead to suppressed hippocampal synaptic signaling, as well as decreased learning and memory performance in male mice. Our results demonstrate that similar nervous system hazards arise from neutron irradiation regardless of the exposure time course. While not always in an identical manner, neutron irradiation disrupts many of the same central nervous system elements as acute charged particle GCR exposures. The risks arising from neutron irradiation are therefore important to consider when determining the overall hazards astronauts will face from the space radiation environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M. Klein
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (P.M.K.); (I.S.)
| | - Yasaman Alaghband
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (Y.A.); (N.-L.D.); (N.R.); (O.G.G.D.); (J.E.B.)
| | - Ngoc-Lien Doan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (Y.A.); (N.-L.D.); (N.R.); (O.G.G.D.); (J.E.B.)
| | - Ning Ru
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (Y.A.); (N.-L.D.); (N.R.); (O.G.G.D.); (J.E.B.)
| | - Olivia G. G. Drayson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (Y.A.); (N.-L.D.); (N.R.); (O.G.G.D.); (J.E.B.)
| | - Janet E. Baulch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (Y.A.); (N.-L.D.); (N.R.); (O.G.G.D.); (J.E.B.)
| | - Enikö A. Kramár
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (E.A.K.); (M.A.W.)
| | - Marcelo A. Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (E.A.K.); (M.A.W.)
| | - Ivan Soltesz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (P.M.K.); (I.S.)
| | - Charles L. Limoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (Y.A.); (N.-L.D.); (N.R.); (O.G.G.D.); (J.E.B.)
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34
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Holden S, Perez R, Hall R, Fallgren CM, Ponnaiya B, Garty G, Brenner DJ, Weil MM, Raber J. Effects of Acute and Chronic Exposure to a Mixed Field of Neutrons and Photons and Single or Fractionated Simulated Galactic Cosmic Ray Exposure on Behavioral and Cognitive Performance in Mice. Radiat Res 2021; 196:31-39. [PMID: 33857301 PMCID: PMC8297553 DOI: 10.1667/rade-20-00228.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
During space missions, astronauts experience acute and chronic low-dose-rate radiation exposures. Given the clear gap of knowledge regarding such exposures, we assessed the effects acute and chronic exposure to a mixed field of neutrons and photons and single or fractionated simulated galactic cosmic ray exposure (GCRsim) on behavioral and cognitive performance in mice. In addition, we assessed the effects of an aspirin-containing diet in the presence and absence of chronic exposure to a mixed field of neutrons and photons. In C3H male mice, there were effects of acute radiation exposure on activity levels in the open field containing objects. In addition, there were radiation-aspirin interactions for effects of chronic radiation exposure on activity levels and measures of anxiety in the open field, and on activity levels in the open field containing objects. There were also detrimental effects of aspirin and chronic radiation exposure on the ability of mice to distinguish the familiar and novel object. Finally, there were effects of acute GCRsim on activity levels in the open field containing objects. Activity levels were lower in GCRsim than sham-irradiated mice. Thus, acute and chronic irradiation to a mixture of neutrons and photons and acute and fractionated GCRsim have differential effects on behavioral and cognitive performance of C3H mice. Within the limitations of our study design, aspirin does not appear to be a suitable countermeasure for effects of chronic exposure to space radiation on cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Holden
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
| | - Ruby Perez
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
| | - Reed Hall
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
| | - Christina M. Fallgren
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Brian Ponnaiya
- Columbia University Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York 10032
| | - Guy Garty
- Columbia University Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York 10032
| | - David J. Brenner
- Columbia University Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York 10032
| | - Michael M. Weil
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
- Department of Neurology and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
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35
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Rienecker KDA, Paladini MS, Grue K, Krukowski K, Rosi S. Microglia: Ally and Enemy in Deep Space. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:509-514. [PMID: 33862064 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In 2024 the first female astronaut will land on the moon, advancing our preparations for human missions to Mars. While on Earth we are protected from space radiation by our planet's magnetic field, on such deep space voyages astronauts will be exposed to high energy particles from solar flares and galactic cosmic rays (GCR). This exposure carries risks to the central nervous system (CNS) that could jeopardize the mission and astronaut health. Earth-bound studies have employed a variety of single-beam and sequential radiation exposures to simulate the effects of GCR exposure in rodents. Multiple studies have shown that GCR simulation induces a maladaptive activation of microglia - the brain-resident immune cells. GCR simulation also induced synaptic changes resulting in lasting cognitive and behavioral defects. Female and male mice show different susceptibilities to GCR exposure, and evidence suggests this sexually dimorphic response is linked to microglia. Manipulating microglia can prevent the development of cognitive deficits in male mice exposed to components of GCR. This discovery may provide clues towards how to protect astronauts' cognitive and behavioral health both during deep space missions and upon return to Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira D A Rienecker
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Serena Paladini
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Grue
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Karen Krukowski
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susanna Rosi
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute of Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Swinton C, Kiffer F, McElroy T, Wang J, Sridharan V, Boerma M, Allen AR. Effects of 16O charged-particle irradiation on cognition, hippocampal morphology and mutagenesis in female mice. Behav Brain Res 2021; 407:113257. [PMID: 33794227 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The effects of radiation in space on human cognition are a growing concern for NASA scientists and astronauts as the possibility for long-duration missions to Mars becomes more tangible. Oxygen (16O) radiation is of utmost interest considering that astronauts will interact with this radiation frequently. 16O radiation is a class of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation and also present within spacecrafts. Whole-body exposure to high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation has been shown to affect hippocampal-dependent cognition. To assess the effects of high-LET radiation, we gave 6-month-old female C57BL/6 mice whole-body exposure to 16O at 0.25 or 0.1 Gy at NASA's Space Radiation Laboratory. Three months following irradiation, animals were tested for cognitive performance using the Y-maze and Novel Object Recognition paradigms. Our behavioral data shows that 16O radiation significantly impairs object memory but not spatial memory. Also, dendritic morphology characterized by the Sholl analysis showed that 16O radiation significantly decreased dendritic branch points, ends, length, and complexity in 0.1 Gy and 0.25 Gy dosages. Finally, we found no significant effect of radiation on single nucleotide polymorphisms in hippocampal genes related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and immediate early genes. Our data suggest exposure to heavy ion 16O radiation modulates hippocampal neurons and induces behavioral deficits at a time point of three months after exposure in female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase Swinton
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
| | - Frederico Kiffer
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
| | - Taylor McElroy
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
| | - Jing Wang
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
| | - Antiño R Allen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States; Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, United States.
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Kundu P, Torres ERS, Stagaman K, Kasschau K, Okhovat M, Holden S, Ward S, Nevonen KA, Davis BA, Saito T, Saido TC, Carbone L, Sharpton TJ, Raber J. Integrated analysis of behavioral, epigenetic, and gut microbiome analyses in App NL-G-F, App NL-F, and wild type mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4678. [PMID: 33633159 PMCID: PMC7907263 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83851-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms occurring in the brain as well as alterations in the gut microbiome composition might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Human amyloid precursor protein knock-in (KI) mice contain the Swedish and Iberian mutations (AppNL-F) or those two and also the Arctic mutation (AppNL-G-F). In this study, we assessed whether behavioral and cognitive performance in 6-month-old AppNL-F, AppNL-G-F, and C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) mice was associated with the gut microbiome, and whether the genotype modulates this association. The genotype effects observed in behavioral tests were test-dependent. The biodiversity and composition of the gut microbiome linked to various aspects of mouse behavioral and cognitive performance but differences in genotype modulated these relationships. These genotype-dependent associations include members of the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families. In a subset of female mice, we assessed DNA methylation in the hippocampus and investigated whether alterations in hippocampal DNA methylation were associated with the gut microbiome. Among other differentially methylated regions, we identified a 1 Kb region that overlapped ing 3′UTR of the Tomm40 gene and the promoter region of the Apoe gene that and was significantly more methylated in the hippocampus of AppNL-G-F than WT mice. The integrated gut microbiome hippocampal DNA methylation analysis revealed a positive relationship between amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) within the Lachnospiraceae family and methylation at the Apoe gene. Hence, these microbes may elicit an impact on AD-relevant behavioral and cognitive performance via epigenetic changes in AD-susceptibility genes in neural tissue or that such changes in the epigenome can elicit alterations in intestinal physiology that affect the growth of these taxa in the gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Kundu
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Eileen Ruth S Torres
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Keaton Stagaman
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Kristin Kasschau
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Mariam Okhovat
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Sarah Holden
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Samantha Ward
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Kimberly A Nevonen
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Brett A Davis
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Takashi Saito
- Department of Neurocognitive Science, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Takaomi C Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Lucia Carbone
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.,Departments of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.,Departments of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.,Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Thomas J Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.,Department of Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA. .,Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA. .,College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA. .,Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, L470, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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Oluwafemi FA, Abdelbaki R, Lai JCY, Mora-Almanza JG, Afolayan EM. A review of astronaut mental health in manned missions: Potential interventions for cognitive and mental health challenges. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2021; 28:26-31. [PMID: 33612177 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Space is an isolated, confined environment for humans. These conditions can have numerous effects on astronaut mental health and safety. Psychological and social issues affect space crew due to the isolation, confinement, and prolonged separation from family and friends. This area of research is particularly crucial given the space sector's plans for Martian colonies and space tourism, as well as to aid astronauts when under high stress. Therefore, this paper reviews the effects of isolation/confinement on psychological and cognitive health; impact of radiation and microgravity on cognitive health; and implications of disturbances to the circadian rhythm and sleep in space. Possible solutions to relevant mentioned cognitive and mental health challenges are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Funmilola A Oluwafemi
- Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) c/o European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Astrobiology Unit, Space Life Sciences Division, Engineering and Space-Systems Department, National Space Research and Development Agency, P.M.B. 437, Abuja, Nigeria.
| | - Rayan Abdelbaki
- Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) c/o European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychology, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
| | - James C-Y Lai
- Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) c/o European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7, Canada
| | - Jose G Mora-Almanza
- Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) c/o European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Medicine, University of Guadalajara, 950 Sierra Mojada Street, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico 44340
| | - Esther M Afolayan
- Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) c/o European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
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Kokhan VS, Mariasina S, Pikalov VA, Abaimov DA, Somasundaram SG, Kirkland CE, Aliev G. Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist reverses functional CNS alteration caused by combined γ-rays and carbon nuclei irradiation. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 21:278-289. [PMID: 33480350 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210122092330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ionizing radiation (IR) is one of the major limiting factors for human deep-space missions. Preventing IR-induced cognitive alterations in astronauts is a critical success factor. It has been shown that cognitive alterations in rodents can be inferred by alterations of a psycho-emotional balance, primarily an anxiogenic effect of IR. In our recent work we hypothesized that the neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor may be instrumental for such alterations. OBJECTIVE The NK1 receptor antagonist rolapitant and the classic anxiolytic diazepam (as a comparison drug) were selected to test this hypothesis on Wistar rats. METHOD Pharmacological substances were administered through intragastric probes. We used a battery of tests for a comprehensive ethological analysis. A high-performance liquid chromatography was applied to quantify monoamines content. An analysis of mRNA expression was performed by real-time PCR. Protein content was studied by Western blotting technique. RESULTS Our salient finding includes no substantial changes in anxiety, locomotor activity and cognitive abilities of treated rats under irradiation. No differences were found in the content of monoamines. We discovered a synchronous effect on mRNA expression and protein content of 5-HT2a and 5-HT4 receptors in the prefrontal cortex, as well as decreased content of serotonin transporter and increased content of tryptophan hydroxylase in the hypothalamus of irradiated rats. Rolapitant affected the protein amount of a number of serotonin receptors in the amygdala of irradiated rats. CONCLUSION Rolapitant may be the first atypical radioprotector, providing symptomatic treatment of CNS functional disorders in astronauts caused by IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor S Kokhan
- V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow. Russian Federation
| | - Sofia Mariasina
- M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow. Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir A Pikalov
- Institute for High Energy Physics named by A.A. Logunov of NRC "Kurchatov Institute", Protvino. Russian Federation
| | | | - Siva G Somasundaram
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salem University, Salem, WV, 26426. United States
| | - Cecil E Kirkland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salem University, Salem, WV, 26426. United States
| | - Gjumrakch Aliev
- I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), 8/2 Trubetskaya Str., Moscow, 119991. Russian Federation
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40
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Davis CM, Allen AR, Bowles DE. Consequences of space radiation on the brain and cardiovascular system. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS 2021; 39:180-218. [PMID: 33902387 DOI: 10.1080/26896583.2021.1891825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Staying longer in outer space will inevitably increase the health risks of astronauts due to the exposures to galactic cosmic rays and solar particle events. Exposure may pose a significant hazard to space flight crews not only during the mission but also later, when slow-developing adverse effects could finally become apparent. The body of literature examining ground-based outcomes in response to high-energy charged-particle radiation suggests differential effects in response to different particles and energies. Numerous animal and cellular models have repeatedly demonstrated the negative effects of high-energy charged-particle on the brain and cognitive function. However, research on the role of space radiation in potentiating cardiovascular dysfunction is still in its early stages. This review summarizes the available data from studies using ground-based animal models to evaluate the response of the brain and heart to the high-energy charged particles of GCR and SPE, addresses potential sex differences in these effects, and aims to highlight gaps in the current literature for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Davis
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Antiño R Allen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Dawn E Bowles
- Division of Surgical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Paladini MS, Feng X, Krukowski K, Rosi S. Microglia depletion and cognitive functions after brain injury: From trauma to galactic cosmic ray. Neurosci Lett 2021; 741:135462. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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42
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Patel ZS, Brunstetter TJ, Tarver WJ, Whitmire AM, Zwart SR, Smith SM, Huff JL. Red risks for a journey to the red planet: The highest priority human health risks for a mission to Mars. NPJ Microgravity 2020; 6:33. [PMID: 33298950 PMCID: PMC7645687 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-020-00124-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
NASA's plans for space exploration include a return to the Moon to stay-boots back on the lunar surface with an orbital outpost. This station will be a launch point for voyages to destinations further away in our solar system, including journeys to the red planet Mars. To ensure success of these missions, health and performance risks associated with the unique hazards of spaceflight must be adequately controlled. These hazards-space radiation, altered gravity fields, isolation and confinement, closed environments, and distance from Earth-are linked with over 30 human health risks as documented by NASA's Human Research Program. The programmatic goal is to develop the tools and technologies to adequately mitigate, control, or accept these risks. The risks ranked as "red" have the highest priority based on both the likelihood of occurrence and the severity of their impact on human health, performance in mission, and long-term quality of life. These include: (1) space radiation health effects of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decrements (2) Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (3) behavioral health and performance decrements, and (4) inadequate food and nutrition. Evaluation of the hazards and risks in terms of the space exposome-the total sum of spaceflight and lifetime exposures and how they relate to genetics and determine the whole-body outcome-will provide a comprehensive picture of risk profiles for individual astronauts. In this review, we provide a primer on these "red" risks for the research community. The aim is to inform the development of studies and projects with high potential for generating both new knowledge and technologies to assist with mitigating multisystem risks to crew health during exploratory missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarana S Patel
- KBR, Houston, TX, USA.
- NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Sara R Zwart
- NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
- University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Scott M Smith
- NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
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Raber J, Fuentes Anaya A, Torres ERS, Lee J, Boutros S, Grygoryev D, Hammer A, Kasschau KD, Sharpton TJ, Turker MS, Kronenberg A. Effects of Six Sequential Charged Particle Beams on Behavioral and Cognitive Performance in B6D2F1 Female and Male Mice. Front Physiol 2020; 11:959. [PMID: 32982769 PMCID: PMC7485338 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The radiation environment astronauts are exposed to in deep space includes galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) with different proportions of all naturally occurring ions. To assist NASA with assessment of risk to the brain following exposure to a mixture of ions broadly representative of the GCR, we assessed the behavioral and cognitive performance of female and male C57BL/6J × DBA2/J F1 (B6D2F1) mice two months following rapidly delivered, sequential 6 beam irradiation with protons (1 GeV, LET = 0.24 keV, 50%), 4He ions (250 MeV/n, LET = 1.6 keV/μm, 20%), 16O ions (250 MeV/n, LET = 25 keV/μm 7.5%), 28Si ions (263 MeV/n, LET = 78 keV/μm, 7.5%), 48Ti ions (1 GeV/n, LET = 107 keV/μm, 7.5%), and 56Fe ions (1 GeV/n, LET = 151 keV/μm, 7.5%) at 0, 25, 50, or 200 cGy) at 4-6 months of age. When the activity over 3 days of open field habituation was analyzed in female mice, those irradiated with 50 cGy moved less and spent less time in the center than sham-irradiated mice. Sham-irradiated female mice and those irradiated with 25 cGy showed object recognition. However, female mice exposed to 50 or 200 cGy did not show object recognition. When fear memory was assessed in passive avoidance tests, sham-irradiated mice and mice irradiated with 25 cGy showed memory retention while mice exposed to 50 or 200 cGy did not. The effects of radiation passive avoidance memory retention were not sex-dependent. There was no effect of radiation on depressive-like behavior in the forced swim test. There was a trend toward an effect of radiation on BDNF levels in the cortex of males, but not for females, with higher levels in male mice irradiated with 50 cGy than sham-irradiated. Finally, sequential 6-ion irradiation impacted the composition of the gut microbiome in a sex-dependent fashion. Taxa were uncovered whose relative abundance in the gut was associated with the radiation dose received. Thus, exposure to sequential six-beam irradiation significantly affects behavioral and cognitive performance and the gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Departments of Neurology and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Andrea Fuentes Anaya
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Eileen Ruth S. Torres
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Joanne Lee
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Sydney Boutros
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Dmytro Grygoryev
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences and Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Austin Hammer
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Kristin D. Kasschau
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Thomas J. Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Mitchell S. Turker
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences and Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Amy Kronenberg
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Nia AM, Khanipov K, Barnette BL, Ullrich RL, Golovko G, Emmett MR. Comparative RNA-Seq transcriptome analyses reveal dynamic time-dependent effects of 56Fe, 16O, and 28Si irradiation on the induction of murine hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:453. [PMID: 32611366 PMCID: PMC7329445 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06869-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One of the health risks posed to astronauts during deep space flights is exposure to high charge, high-energy (HZE) ions (Z > 13), which can lead to the induction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little is known on the molecular mechanisms of HZE irradiation-induced HCC. Results We performed comparative RNA-Seq transcriptomic analyses to assess the carcinogenic effects of 600 MeV/n 56Fe (0.2 Gy), 1 GeV/n 16O (0.2 Gy), and 350 MeV/n 28Si (0.2 Gy) ions in a mouse model for irradiation-induced HCC. C3H/HeNCrl mice were subjected to total body irradiation to simulate space environment HZE-irradiation, and liver tissues were extracted at five different time points post-irradiation to investigate the time-dependent carcinogenic response at the transcriptomic level. Our data demonstrated a clear difference in the biological effects of these HZE ions, particularly immunological, such as Acute Phase Response Signaling, B Cell Receptor Signaling, IL-8 Signaling, and ROS Production in Macrophages. Also seen in this study were novel unannotated transcripts that were significantly affected by HZE. To investigate the biological functions of these novel transcripts, we used a machine learning technique known as self-organizing maps (SOMs) to characterize the transcriptome expression profiles of 60 samples (45 HZE-irradiated, 15 non-irradiated control) from liver tissues. A handful of localized modules in the maps emerged as groups of co-regulated and co-expressed transcripts. The functional context of these modules was discovered using overrepresentation analysis. We found that these spots typically contained enriched populations of transcripts related to specific immunological molecular processes (e.g., Acute Phase Response Signaling, B Cell Receptor Signaling, IL-3 Signaling), and RNA Transcription/Expression. Conclusions A large number of transcripts were found differentially expressed post-HZE irradiation. These results provide valuable information for uncovering the differences in molecular mechanisms underlying HZE specific induced HCC carcinogenesis. Additionally, a handful of novel differentially expressed unannotated transcripts were discovered for each HZE ion. Taken together, these findings may provide a better understanding of biological mechanisms underlying risks for HCC after HZE irradiation and may also have important implications for the discovery of potential countermeasures against and identification of biomarkers for HZE-induced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Nia
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Kamil Khanipov
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Brooke L Barnette
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Robert L Ullrich
- The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), Hiroshima, Japan
| | - George Golovko
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Mark R Emmett
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA. .,Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA.
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45
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Kiffer F, Alexander T, Anderson J, Groves T, McElroy T, Wang J, Sridharan V, Bauer M, Boerma M, Allen A. Late Effects of 1H + 16O on Short-Term and Object Memory, Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology and Mutagenesis. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:96. [PMID: 32670032 PMCID: PMC7332779 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The space extending beyond Earth’s magnetosphere is subject to a complex field of high-energy charged nuclei, which are capable of traversing spacecraft shielding and human tissues, inducing dense ionization events. The central nervous system is a major area of concern for astronauts who will be exposed to the deep-space radiation environment on a mission to Mars, as charged-particle radiation has been shown to elicit changes to the dendritic arbor within the hippocampus of rodents, and related cognitive-behavioral deficits. We exposed 6-month-old male mice to whole-body 1H (0.5 Gy; 150 MeV/n; 18–19 cGy/minute) and an hour later to 16O (0.1Gy; 600 MeV/n; 18–33 Gy/min) at NASA’s Space Radiation Laboratory as a galactic cosmic ray-relevant model. Animals were housed with bedding which provides cognitive enrichment. Mice were tested for cognitive behavior 9 months after exposure to elucidate late radiation effects. Radiation induced significant deficits in novel object recognition and short-term spatial memory (Y-maze). Additionally, we observed opposing morphological differences between the mature granular and pyramidal neurons throughout the hippocampus, with increased dendritic length in the dorsal dentate gyrus and reduced length and complexity in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus. Dendritic spine analyses revealed a severe reduction in mushroom spine density throughout the hippocampus of irradiated animals. Finally, we detected no general effect of radiation on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in immediate early genes, and genes involved in inflammation but found a higher variant allele frequency in the antioxidants thioredoxin reductase 2 and 3 loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederico Kiffer
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Tyler Alexander
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Julie Anderson
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Thomas Groves
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Taylor McElroy
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Michael Bauer
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Antiño Allen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
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46
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van Loon JJWA, Cras P, Bouwens WHACM, Roozendaal W, Vernikos J. Gravity Deprivation: Is It Ethical for Optimal Physiology? Front Physiol 2020; 11:470. [PMID: 32457658 PMCID: PMC7227601 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jack J W A van Loon
- Department Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pathology, Amsterdam Movement Sciences & Amsterdam Bone Center (ABC), Amsterdam University Medical Center Location VUmc & Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Patrick Cras
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Translational Neurosciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.,Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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47
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Cucinotta FA, Cacao E. Predictions of cognitive detriments from galactic cosmic ray exposures to astronauts on exploration missions. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2020; 25:129-135. [PMID: 32414486 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
For the first-time we report on predictions on cognitive detriments from galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposures on long-duration space missions outside the protection of the Earth's magnetosphere and solid body shielding. Estimates are based on a relative risk (RR) model of the fluence response for proton and heavy ion in rodent studies using the widely used novel object recognition (NOR) test, which estimates detriments in recognition or object memory. Our recent meta-analysis showed that linear and linear-quadratic dose response models were not accurate, while exponential increasing fluence response models based on particle track structure provided good descriptions of rodent data for doses up to 1 Gy. Using detailed models of the GCR environment and particle transport in shielding and tissue, we predict the excess relative risk (ERR) for NOR detriments for several long-term space mission scenarios. Predictions suggest ERR < 0.15 for most space mission scenarios with ERR<0.1 for 1-year lunar surface missions, and about ERR~0.1 for a 1000 day Mars mission for average solar cycle conditions. We discuss possible implications of these ERR levels of cognitive performance detriments relative to other neurological challenges such as rodent models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Comparisons suggest a small but potentially clinically significant risk for possible space mission scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis A Cucinotta
- Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Nevada, Box 453037, Las Vegas, NV 89195-3037, United States.
| | - Eliedonna Cacao
- Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Nevada, Box 453037, Las Vegas, NV 89195-3037, United States
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48
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Whoolery CW, Yun S, Reynolds RP, Lucero MJ, Soler I, Tran FH, Ito N, Redfield RL, Richardson DR, Shih HY, Rivera PD, Chen BPC, Birnbaum SG, Stowe AM, Eisch AJ. Multi-domain cognitive assessment of male mice shows space radiation is not harmful to high-level cognition and actually improves pattern separation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2737. [PMID: 32066765 PMCID: PMC7026431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59419-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Astronauts on interplanetary missions - such as to Mars - will be exposed to space radiation, a spectrum of highly-charged, fast-moving particles that includes 56Fe and 28Si. Earth-based preclinical studies show space radiation decreases rodent performance in low- and some high-level cognitive tasks. Given astronaut use of touchscreen platforms during training and space flight and given the ability of rodent touchscreen tasks to assess functional integrity of brain circuits and multiple cognitive domains in a non-aversive way, here we exposed 6-month-old C57BL/6J male mice to whole-body space radiation and subsequently assessed them on a touchscreen battery. Relative to Sham treatment, 56Fe irradiation did not overtly change performance on tasks of visual discrimination, reversal learning, rule-based, or object-spatial paired associates learning, suggesting preserved functional integrity of supporting brain circuits. Surprisingly, 56Fe irradiation improved performance on a dentate gyrus-reliant pattern separation task; irradiated mice learned faster and were more accurate than controls. Improved pattern separation performance did not appear to be touchscreen-, radiation particle-, or neurogenesis-dependent, as 56Fe and 28Si irradiation led to faster context discrimination in a non-touchscreen task and 56Fe decreased new dentate gyrus neurons relative to Sham. These data urge revisitation of the broadly-held view that space radiation is detrimental to cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody W Whoolery
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Sanghee Yun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ryan P Reynolds
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Melanie J Lucero
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ivan Soler
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fionya H Tran
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Naoki Ito
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Oriental Medicine Research Center, Kitasato University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rachel L Redfield
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Devon R Richardson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hung-Ying Shih
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Phillip D Rivera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, Hope College, Holland, MI, USA
| | - Benjamin P C Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Shari G Birnbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ann M Stowe
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Amelia J Eisch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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49
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Baddour AAD, Apodaca LA, Alikhani L, Lu C, Minasyan H, Batra RS, Acharya MM, Baulch JE. Sex-Specific Effects of a Wartime-Like Radiation Exposure on Cognitive Function. Radiat Res 2019; 193:5-15. [DOI: 10.1667/rr15413.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Al Anoud D. Baddour
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Lauren A. Apodaca
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Leila Alikhani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Celine Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Harutyun Minasyan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Raja S. Batra
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Munjal M. Acharya
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Janet E. Baulch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
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50
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Liu B, Hinshaw RG, Le KX, Park MA, Wang S, Belanger AP, Dubey S, Frost JL, Shi Q, Holton P, Trojanczyk L, Reiser V, Jones PA, Trigg W, Di Carli MF, Lorello P, Caldarone BJ, Williams JP, O'Banion MK, Lemere CA. Space-like 56Fe irradiation manifests mild, early sex-specific behavioral and neuropathological changes in wildtype and Alzheimer's-like transgenic mice. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12118. [PMID: 31431669 PMCID: PMC6702228 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48615-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Space travel will expose people to high-energy, heavy particle radiation, and the cognitive deficits induced by this exposure are not well understood. To investigate the short-term effects of space radiation, we irradiated 4-month-old Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-like transgenic (Tg) mice and wildtype (WT) littermates with a single, whole-body dose of 10 or 50 cGy 56Fe ions (1 GeV/u) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. At ~1.5 months post irradiation, behavioural testing showed sex-, genotype-, and dose-dependent changes in locomotor activity, contextual fear conditioning, grip strength, and motor learning, mainly in Tg but not WT mice. There was little change in general health, depression, or anxiety. Two months post irradiation, microPET imaging of the stable binding of a translocator protein ligand suggested no radiation-specific change in neuroinflammation, although initial uptake was reduced in female mice independently of cerebral blood flow. Biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that radiation reduced cerebral amyloid-β levels and microglia activation in female Tg mice, modestly increased microhemorrhages in 50 cGy irradiated male WT mice, and did not affect synaptic marker levels compared to sham controls. Taken together, we show specific short-term changes in neuropathology and behaviour induced by 56Fe irradiation, possibly having implications for long-term space travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Robert G Hinshaw
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Kevin X Le
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mi-Ae Park
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shuyan Wang
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anthony P Belanger
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shipra Dubey
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Frost
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Qiaoqiao Shi
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Peter Holton
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lee Trojanczyk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | | | - Paul A Jones
- GE Healthcare, Chalfont St Giles, HP8 4SP, United Kingdom
| | - William Trigg
- GE Healthcare, Chalfont St Giles, HP8 4SP, United Kingdom
| | - Marcelo F Di Carli
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Paul Lorello
- Harvard Medical School Mouse Behavior Core, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Jacqueline P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - M Kerry O'Banion
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Cynthia A Lemere
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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