physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
maryam salavatifar
Volume 17, Issue 1 , March 2024, , Pages 63-71
Abstract
Earth's gravity is one of the forces that constantly affects living organisms. It's changes can affect organisms behavior and performance. Study of such effects can lead to the discovery of new practical methods. Heavy metal toxicity have a lot of risks to human health. They sometimes act as a pseudo ...
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Earth's gravity is one of the forces that constantly affects living organisms. It's changes can affect organisms behavior and performance. Study of such effects can lead to the discovery of new practical methods. Heavy metal toxicity have a lot of risks to human health. They sometimes act as a pseudo element of the body and they may even interfere with metabolic processes. Cadmium as one of the most hazardous heavy metals, cause defects in DNA repair following the induction of oxidative stress, DNA damage and may lead to cancer. Several methods have been introduced to remove heavy metals from drinking water. Bioremoval by probiotic is one of these safe methods. In this study Lactobacillus acidophilus effect on cadmium bioremoval was measured in microgravity and Mars gravity conditions. The results demonstrated that the 24-hour water treatment by L. acidophilus removed 43.77% of the cadmium concentration in the Earth gravity, 54.74% under microgravity and 54.84% in Mars gravity. Statistical analysis showed that L. acidophilus was effective in cadmium bioremoval and this ability was maintained even with gravity changes. Therefore, this bacterium can be used to remove heavy metal pollution during space missions in order to maintain the health of astronauts.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Fateme Mousavi
Volume 16, English Special Issue , November 2023, , Pages 65-71
Abstract
The extreme temperature fluctuations and the vacuum of the space environment make growing plants in outer space challenging. To simulate the temperature fluctuations and vacuum conditions associated with space environments, dry tomato seeds were placed in a thermal cycle simulator and vacuum simulator ...
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The extreme temperature fluctuations and the vacuum of the space environment make growing plants in outer space challenging. To simulate the temperature fluctuations and vacuum conditions associated with space environments, dry tomato seeds were placed in a thermal cycle simulator and vacuum simulator chamber of space systems, respectively. A Bradford method was used to determine the total protein content of each group of seeds. Sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to separate proteins. The seed of the thermal cycle group had the highest protein content (26 to 31 mg/ml), followed by control seeds (8-10 mg/ml) and the vacuum seeds (4-5.6 mg/ml). The molecular weights of the peptides ranged from 8 to 42 kDa. The intensity of the protein bands was significantly different in the thermal cycle group from the other two groups, and vacuum group had the lowest intensity. Water and oil released from seeds in the vacuum environment resulted in a reduction of protein content. In the thermal cycle group, the total protein content and the intensity of the bands were significantly higher than those treated with the control group, which can be attributed to the degradation of storage proteins involved in seed germination in the control group.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Halimeh Hassanpour
Volume 16, Issue 3 , September 2023, , Pages 69-78
Abstract
Light is a vital factor for plant cultivation. LED lamps in different spectra have some advantages such as low heat production and energy requirement, and long lifespan, which was used for the first time to design plant growth chambers in closed culture systems and space research. In this research, impact ...
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Light is a vital factor for plant cultivation. LED lamps in different spectra have some advantages such as low heat production and energy requirement, and long lifespan, which was used for the first time to design plant growth chambers in closed culture systems and space research. In this research, impact of light spectrums was studied on the growth mechanisms through chlorophyll pigments, enzyme defense system, and antioxidant metabolite analyses. Seeds were cultivated in Murashige and Skoog medium and exposed to different light spectrums of white, red, blue, and red-blue. Then, the seedlings were harvested for growth and biochemical analyses after 4 weeks. Results showed that red-blue and blue lights induced the fresh weight, dry weight, root length, adventitious roots, chlorophyll content, protein, flavonoids and antioxidant enzymes of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Blue spectrum significantly decreased stem length and increased the relative water content. Moreover, the highest amount of hydrogen peroxide was observed in seedlings treated with red light. It seems that light spectra by changing the hydrogen peroxide level can regulate antioxidant enzyme activity and enhance antioxidant metabolites, and red-blue light may use as a suitable lighting spectrum for the design of M. chamomilla cultivation chamber in space research.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Vajihe Zarrinpour; Zahrs Hajebrahimi
Volume 15, Issue 4 , December 2022, , Pages 89-96
Abstract
A study of the effect of microgravity on the endothelial progenitor cells is useful both in understanding cardiac changes in astronauts and in using microgravity as angiogenic stimuli. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of microgravity on VEGFR-2 and CD34 angiogenesis markers. ...
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A study of the effect of microgravity on the endothelial progenitor cells is useful both in understanding cardiac changes in astronauts and in using microgravity as angiogenic stimuli. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of microgravity on VEGFR-2 and CD34 angiogenesis markers. Following extraction of progenitor cells from peripheral blood and its confirmation, gene expression was assessed by real-time PCR, and cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. The extracted cells were endothelial progenitor cells in terms of shape and surface markers CD31 and CD144. Microgravity increased the VEGFR-2 gene expression by 3.5 times after 24 hours. CD34 expression increased by 50% after 3 h but reached control level after 24 hours. Microgravity appears to have a positive effect on the expression of angiogenic markers and stimulation of endothelial progenitor cells, and it may be used as a new environment to differentiate these cells into blood vessels and to treat heart disease.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Maryam Salavatifar; Nilofar Mosallaei; Ali Hatef Salmanian
Volume 15, Issue 4 , December 2022, , Pages 97-106
Abstract
Gravity is an influential force on living organisms on earth, including microorganisms. E. coli O157: H7 causes complications such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans and immunization is the main way to fight it. Subunit B of Shiga-like toxin type 2 (STX2B), binding agent of bacterial ...
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Gravity is an influential force on living organisms on earth, including microorganisms. E. coli O157: H7 causes complications such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans and immunization is the main way to fight it. Subunit B of Shiga-like toxin type 2 (STX2B), binding agent of bacterial toxin to target cells, is a candidate for the recombinant vaccine to prevent disease. Due to the quantitative and qualitative increase in the expression of some recombinant proteins under microgravity, the STX2B recombinant protein expression was examined under simulated microgravity conditions on clinostat device. After confirmation of the recombinant by immunological methods, its expression was performed under microgravity and after the protein purification by chromatographic column, its amount was measured. The results showed that despite the decrease in expression under microgravity, which was probably due to lack of proper aeration of the culture medium, recombinant protein was still produced under microgravity condition.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Narjes Rahmanian; Azadeh Hekmat; Zahra Hajebrahimi
Volume 15, Issue 2 , June 2022, , Pages 81-92
Abstract
Muscle atrophy is one of the problems that astronauts face after returning to earth. Myostatin is a known negative regulator of muscle growth. This study aimed to investigate the effects of simulated microgravity condition on mouse myotube cells (C2C12) growth and the myostatin gene expression. The morphological ...
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Muscle atrophy is one of the problems that astronauts face after returning to earth. Myostatin is a known negative regulator of muscle growth. This study aimed to investigate the effects of simulated microgravity condition on mouse myotube cells (C2C12) growth and the myostatin gene expression. The morphological studies and MTT cytotoxicity assay showed no significant alternation in cells after 48h simulation microgravity, however, after 72h ~40% of cell death accrued (p<0.05). The AO/PI staining and DNA fragmentation analysis confirmed this observation too. Analysis of the gene expression revealed that simulated microgravity reduced myostatin gene expression significantly after 48h (p<0.0001), however, after 72h, increased significantly (P<0.001). So, inhibition of myostatin expression in differentiated myocyte cells of astronauts could be an effective procedure to reduce skeletal muscle atrophy under microgravity condition.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Ehsan Siami; Reza Mohammadi; Vajiheh Zarrinpour
Volume 15, Issue 1 , March 2022, , Pages 41-49
Abstract
This study evaluates the expression level of genes that change by pressure changes in astronautics and diving disorders such as decompression sickness. This study was performed on five skilled divers to analyze the expression level of TLR-2, HSP-72, IL-1b, NF-kB, and MPO genes that are responsible for ...
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This study evaluates the expression level of genes that change by pressure changes in astronautics and diving disorders such as decompression sickness. This study was performed on five skilled divers to analyze the expression level of TLR-2, HSP-72, IL-1b, NF-kB, and MPO genes that are responsible for pro-inflammatory conditions. In addition, the expression level of DRD4 and BNIP3 genes (Astronaut index genes that were previously measured in a spacecraft study on mice) was analyzed on native Iranian samples. Blood samples were taken half an hour after diving, RNA was extracted, and cDNA was synthesized. Then, real-time PCR was done. Based on the results obtained using the T-Student statistical method, it was found that the expression level of all genes except MPO and TLR-2 genes increased significantly after exposure to pressure changes and diving activities. These conditions can be a permanent effect after pressure changes and can be considered an indicator for healthy people under stress in diving and astronautics.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Zahra Hajebrahimi; Maryam Salavatifar
Volume 14, Issue 4 , December 2021, , Pages 61-66
Abstract
Studies have shown that simulated microgravity (SMG) affects tumor cell growth and metastasis. However, the underlying molecular basis is still not known. In recent years, due to the high expression of CD44 in invasive basal breast tumors, it has been the subject of many studies. The aim of present study ...
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Studies have shown that simulated microgravity (SMG) affects tumor cell growth and metastasis. However, the underlying molecular basis is still not known. In recent years, due to the high expression of CD44 in invasive basal breast tumors, it has been the subject of many studies. The aim of present study was to investigate the gene expression of CD44 in MDA-MB-231cell line of breast cancer in microgravity conditioncell line was proliferated under normal gravity and microgravity (1 and 3 days) using 2-D clinostat. Gene expression was measured using real-time PCR technique. SMG increased gene expression (100%) after 1 day and decreased it (15%) during 3 days in comparison to the control samples. It seems that the response of cancer cells to microgravity is time dependent and simulated microgravity treatment for 3 days may have a positive effect on cancer characteristics of MDA-MB-231 cell line in order to decrease the expression of CD44.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
Farnoush Soltani; Halimeh Hassanpour; Malek Hekmati
Volume 14, Issue 1 , March 2021, , Pages 15-22
Abstract
LED light spectrums are the proper light source for plant research in the International Space Station and the life support system. In the present study, effects of different light spectrums on some growth parameters, and antioxidant activity were investigated in Anthemis gilanica. Seedlings irrigated ...
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LED light spectrums are the proper light source for plant research in the International Space Station and the life support system. In the present study, effects of different light spectrums on some growth parameters, and antioxidant activity were investigated in Anthemis gilanica. Seedlings irrigated with 1/2 Hougland solution under different light spectrums including white, red-blue and deep red. Seedlings were harvested for physiological and biochemical analyzes after 4 weeks. Results showed the fresh and dry weight, relative water content and root length increased under the red-blue light spectrum comparing to other spectrums. Hydrogen peroxide level didn't significantly change under different light spectrums. Seedlings treated with white spectrum showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity. Also, seedlings treated with deep red spectrum showed the maximum shoot length. It seems that decrease of growth under white spectrum is related to transfer carbon and energy sources for antioxidant compound biosynthesis.
physiology and space medicine (astrobiology)
maryam salavatifar; Zahra Hajebrahimi
Volume 12, Issue 1 , April 2019, , Pages 69-76
Abstract
Introduction: Gravity is one of the most important forces exposed to the organisms on the earth which affects the cells, molecules and thus the entire of organism. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the simulated microgravity on the changes of RKIP metastasis suppressor gene expression ...
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Introduction: Gravity is one of the most important forces exposed to the organisms on the earth which affects the cells, molecules and thus the entire of organism. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the simulated microgravity on the changes of RKIP metastasis suppressor gene expression on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line.Materials and Methods: In order to impose microgravity state, cancer cells were placed on clinostat for one and three days. Then RNA was extracted from the cells and RKIP gene expression changes were evaluated by qReal time PCR.Results: The findings showed that the microgravity during one day reduced the RKIP expression level, but with continuing up to three days, the expression returned to the control level.Conclusion: By optimizing the duration of microgravity, it can be likely observed the significant effects on the RKIP gene expression changes and so that useful steps can be taken to discover the cancer mechanisms and its treatment.
