Stem cells older than ever: research in space is making waves!

Stem cells older than ever: research in space is making waves!

A new study has revealed alarming findings about the effects of space on human stem cells. Based on data collected during four SpaceX resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) between late 2021 and early 2023, research shows that stem cells age faster in space. Professor Catriona Jamieson from the Sanford Stem Cell Institute emphasizes the importance of these findings for long-term space missions, especially when the human body is exposed to extreme conditions. The study, funded in part by NASA and published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, is the first of its kind to directly observe the functioning of stem cells in low Earth orbit in real time.

An innovative bioreactor with an AI monitoring system was used to monitor the stem cells during the experiments. For the investigations, bone marrow stem cells from patients with hip joint replacements were flown to the ISS. It has been found that stem cells are typically inactive up to 80% of the time to maintain energy reserves. In space, however, these cells remained constantly active, leading to a rapid loss of their energy reserves and exposing the stem cells to accelerated aging.

Mechanisms of rapid aging

A particularly concerning finding is the activation of “dark genes,” which represent remnants of retroviruses in the human genome. These genes make up about 55% of the genome and are activated under extreme pressure. Professor Jamieson draws parallels with patients in the pre-leukemia stage, in whom similar aging processes are observed. The results show that some cell samples survived for up to 45 days on the ISS, but aged quickly due to overactivity. Preliminary data suggests that stem cells can regenerate after returning to Earth, which could take up to a year.

The discoveries of this study are not only important for future space travel, but could also have important implications for the treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases on Earth. Dr. Arun Sharma from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center highlights that long-duration flights can weaken the immune and blood systems, and researchers emphasize the need to understand the risks of the low-orbit environment to develop effective prevention strategies.

Novel approaches to regeneration of heart cells

In parallel with research into stem cells in space, there are significant advances in regenerative medicine, particularly in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. These are the leading cause of death worldwide, with almost 18 million deaths annually. Over 640 million people are affected by some form of these diseases. Damaged heart muscle tissue is unable to regenerate, making treatment complex, especially given the limited availability of donor hearts.

A research team from Emory University used microgravity on the ISS to investigate new therapeutic approaches. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are being explored as a promising option because they can be reprogrammed from skin or blood samples to develop into cardiomyocytes, which are heart muscle cells. On the ISS, the cells in three-dimensional spheroids grew faster than the control groups on Earth. This development shows the potential to overcome the challenges of producing high-quality heart cells and could potentially revolutionize treatment methods.

The genetic analyzes revealed that the cells in space had increased expression of genes important for cell survival. These cells produced more survival proteins and showed signs of greater maturity, which could enable new strategies to create stronger heart cells with improved survival. Such developments would give millions of patients new hope and could transform treatments for heart disease.

Overall, research in microgravity highlights the interactions between space environments and biological processes and could have far-reaching consequences for the health of astronauts as well as therapeutic approaches on Earth. As science continues to investigate the mechanisms responsible for these changes, it is becoming clear that space is not only a place of wonder, but also a laboratory for pioneering medicine.

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