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Cao X, Weil MM, Wu JC. Clinical Trial in a Dish for Space Radiation Countermeasure Discovery. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2022; 35:140-149. [PMID: 36336359 PMCID: PMC10947779 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
NASA aims to return humans to the moon within the next five years and to land humans on Mars in a few decades. Space radiation exposure represents a major challenge to astronauts' health during long-duration missions, as it is linked to increased risks of cancer, cardiovascular dysfunctions, central nervous system (CNS) impairment, and other negative outcomes. Characterization of radiation health effects and developing corresponding countermeasures are high priorities for the preparation of long duration space travel. Due to limitations of animal and cell models, the development of novel physiologically relevant radiation models is needed to better predict these individual risks and bridge gaps between preclinical testing and clinical trials in drug development. "Clinical Trial in a Dish" (CTiD) is now possible with the use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), offering a powerful tool for drug safety or efficacy testing using patient-specific cell models. Here we review the development and applications of CTiD for space radiation biology and countermeasure studies, focusing on progress made in the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Cao
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael M Weil
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Joseph C Wu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Cortés-Sánchez JL, Callant J, Krüger M, Sahana J, Kraus A, Baselet B, Infanger M, Baatout S, Grimm D. Cancer Studies under Space Conditions: Finding Answers Abroad. Biomedicines 2021; 10:biomedicines10010025. [PMID: 35052703 PMCID: PMC8773191 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review article, we discuss the current state of knowledge in cancer research under real and simulated microgravity conditions and point out further research directions in this field. Outer space is an extremely hostile environment for human life, with radiation, microgravity, and vacuum posing significant hazards. Although the risk for cancer in astronauts is not clear, microgravity plays a thought-provoking role in the carcinogenesis of normal and cancer cells, causing such effects as multicellular spheroid formation, cytoskeleton rearrangement, alteration of gene expression and protein synthesis, and apoptosis. Furthermore, deleterious effects of radiation on cells seem to be accentuated under microgravity. Ground-based facilities have been used to study microgravity effects in addition to laborious experiments during parabolic flights or on space stations. Some potential 'gravisensors' have already been detected, and further identification of these mechanisms of mechanosensitivity could open up ways for therapeutic influence on cancer growth and apoptosis. These novel findings may help to find new effective cancer treatments and to provide health protection for humans on future long-term spaceflights and exploration of outer space.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Cortés-Sánchez
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.L.C.-S.); (M.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.)
| | - Jonas Callant
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium; (J.C.); (B.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.L.C.-S.); (M.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jayashree Sahana
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark;
| | - Armin Kraus
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.L.C.-S.); (M.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Bjorn Baselet
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium; (J.C.); (B.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Manfred Infanger
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.L.C.-S.); (M.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium; (J.C.); (B.B.); (S.B.)
- Department Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daniela Grimm
- Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; (J.L.C.-S.); (M.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.)
- Research Group ‘Magdeburger Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Forschung unter Raumfahrt-und Schwerelosigkeitsbedingungen’ (MARS), Otto von Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +45-21379702
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