Space voyages accelerate the aging of human cells

The Sanford Stem Cell Institute, based at the University of California, San Diego, has published a groundbreaking study in 'Cell Stem Cell' that sheds light on the effects of space travel on the aging of blood stem cells.

Directed by Catriona Jamieson, the research aimed to understand the impact of microgravity and cosmic radiation on the molecular aging of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Dr. Liza Z. Burkhart, the researcher leading the group at the Sanford Stem Cell Institute, conducted the study.

To gather data, HSPCs were exposed to space using AI-driven automated systems sent on SpaceX missions to the International Space Station (ISS). After 32 to 45 days in space, the HSPCs exhibited characteristics similar to aging, including increased metabolic activity, loss of regenerative capacity, DNA damage, shortened telomeres, signs of cellular inflammation and mitochondrial stress, and the activation of normally silenced gene regions.

Some of the damage to HSPCs began to reverse when they were returned to a young and healthy environment, suggesting potential for future therapeutic interventions.

The findings build on the results of the NASA Twins Study, where astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year on the ISS while his twin brother remained on Earth. While many effects reversed upon return, some cellular changes persisted.

The research highlights the need to develop biological countermeasures to preserve stem cell function during long-duration space missions. The team plans to continue this line of research with new ISS missions and astronaut studies, including the development of pharmacological or genetic treatments to mitigate space-induced cellular aging.

Moreover, the research may also help understand aging and diseases like cancer on Earth. The implications for both space medicine and the study of aging and diseases on our planet are significant.

To date, the Sanford Institute has conducted 17 missions to the ISS. The team at the Sanford Stem Cell Institute is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of our understanding of space and its impact on the human body, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the health and safety of future astronauts and potentially paving the way for long-term space exploration.