Spaceflight effects on human vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype and function

• DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00380-w
• Publication Date: 2024-03-28T19:02:21Z
• Authors: Marina M. Scotti; Brandon K. Wilson; Jodi L. Bubenik; Fahong Yu; Maurice S. Swanson; Josephine B. Allen
• Keywords: Spaceflight; Deconditioning

Abstract The cardiovascular system is strongly impacted by the hazards of spaceflight. Astronauts spending steadily increasing lengths time in microgravity are subject to deconditioning resulting loss vascular tone, reduced total blood volume, and diminished cardiac output. Appreciating mechanisms which cells vasculature altered during spaceflight will be integral understanding combating these deleterious effects as human presence space advances. In this study, we performed RNA-Seq analysis coupled with review QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software on aortic smooth muscle (HASMCs) cultured for 3 days aboard International Space Station assess transcriptomic changes that occur results our show SMCs undergo a wide range transcriptional alteration while space, significantly affecting 4422 genes. largely down-regulate markers contractile, synthetic, osteogenic phenotypes including alpha actin (αSMA), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs). Additionally, components several cellular signaling pathways were STAT3, NFκB, PI3K/AKT, HIF1α, Endothelin pathways. This study highlights significant behavior exhibit puts context better understand function space.