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Zheng M, Charvat J, Zwart SR, Mehta SK, Crucian BE, Smith SM, He J, Piermarocchi C, Mias GI. Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal changes in astronauts during spaceflight. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1219221. [PMID: 37520819 PMCID: PMC10376710 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1219221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
From the early days of spaceflight to current missions, astronauts continue to be exposed to multiple hazards that affect human health, including low gravity, high radiation, isolation during long-duration missions, a closed environment and distance from Earth. Their effects can lead to adverse physiological changes and necessitate countermeasure development and/or longitudinal monitoring. A time-resolved analysis of biological signals can detect and better characterize potential adverse events during spaceflight, ideally preventing them and maintaining astronauts' wellness. Here we provide a time-resolved assessment of the impact of spaceflight on multiple astronauts (n = 27) by studying multiple biochemical and immune measurements before, during, and after long-duration orbital spaceflight. We reveal space-associated changes of astronauts' physiology on both the individual level and across astronauts, including associations with bone resorption and kidney function, as well as immune-system dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhang Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | | | - Sara R. Zwart
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | | | | | | | - Jin He
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Carlo Piermarocchi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - George I. Mias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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Zheng M, Charvat J, Zwart SR, Mehta S, Crucian BE, Smith SM, He J, Piermarocchi C, Mias GI. Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal changes in astronauts during spaceflight. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.17.530234. [PMID: 36993537 PMCID: PMC10055136 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.17.530234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
From the early days of spaceflight to current missions, astronauts continue to be exposed to multiple hazards that affect human health, including low gravity, high radiation, isolation during long-duration missions, a closed environment and distance from Earth. Their effects can lead to adverse physiological changes and necessitate countermeasure development and/or longitudinal monitoring. A time-resolved analysis of biological signals can detect and better characterize potential adverse events during spaceflight, ideally preventing them and maintaining astronauts' wellness. Here we provide a time-resolved assessment of the impact of spaceflight on multiple astronauts (n=27) by studying multiple biochemical and immune measurements before, during, and after long-duration orbital spaceflight. We reveal space-associated changes of astronauts' physiology on both the individual level and across astronauts, including associations with bone resorption and kidney function, as well as immune-system dysregulation.
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Varicella Vaccine: a Molecular Variant That May Contribute to Attenuation. mBio 2022; 13:e0312022. [PMID: 36468883 PMCID: PMC9765671 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03120-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Varicella was troublesome when varicella vaccine (vOka) was licensed in the United States. Varicella's yearly death toll was ~100, indirect costs were massive, and varicella threatened immunocompromised children. Since licensure, varicella has almost disappeared; nevertheless, vOka attenuation has lacked a molecular explanation. Sadaoka et al. (T. Sadaoka, D. P. Depledge, L. Rajbhandari, J. Breuer, et al., mBio 13:e0186422, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01864-22), however, have now identified 6 core single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which singly or in combination may contribute to VOka attenuation; moreover, they found a predominant variant allele of vOka encoding the viral glycoprotein gB that results in glutamine instead of arginine at amino acid 699. This change impairs fusion activity and the ability of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) to infect human neurons from axon terminals. Molecular virological studies of vOka are reassuring in suggesting that reversion to virulence is unlikely and should also help assuage current fears about VZV vaccination and alleviate unanticipated future problems. The impressive work of Sadaoka et al. thus represents an auspicious advance in knowledge.
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