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Evaluating Effects of Altered Gravity on the Nervous System Using D. melanogasterA comprehensive understanding of the effects of spaceflight and altered gravity on human physiology is necessary for continued human space exploration and long-term space habitation. The oxidative stress response has been identified in astronauts exposed to short- and long-term space missions that are exposed to the multitude of stress factors of spaceflight, including altered gravity and radiation exposure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are byproducts of homeostatic cellular metabolism, yet when overproduced the oxidative stress response ensues, rendering molecules destructive causing cell death and inflammation. Controlling aberrant ROS production is necessary to prevent pathological consequences, in particular within the nervous system, since neurons are extremely sensitive overexpressed ROS insults. We hypothesize that exposure to altered gravity triggers the oxidative stress response, leading to impairments in the nervous system. In this study, we used a well-established spaceflight model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, to assess altered gravity associated changes in the nervous system using a ground-based hypergravity model. Acute hypergravity resulted in an induction of oxidative stress-related genes with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in fly brains (p<0.001). Also, qPCR analysis shows that parkin gene expression is significantly reduced in these fly brains(p<0.05). Additionally, chronic hypergravity resulted in depressed locomotor phenotype in these flies (p<0.05) in conjunction to decreased dopaminergic neuron counts (p<0.0001) and increased apoptosis in these fly brains (p<0.0001). Further, assessment of neurological changes, including the neuronal architecture, synaptic integrity and genetic regulation caused by hypergravity conditions were noted. Overall, our results validate chronic hypergravity simulation as a behavioral model to study spaceflight effects, and oxidative stress pathway as a potential avenue for countermeasure development for astronauts undergoing short- and long-term missions and for neurodegenerative research on Earth.
Document ID
20190033170
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Mhatre, Siddhita (Wyle Labs., Inc. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
November 22, 2019
Publication Date
November 20, 2019
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN69420
Meeting Information
Meeting: Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research
Location: Denver, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: November 20, 2019
End Date: November 23, 2019
Sponsors: American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNA14AB82C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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