GeroScience

Space radiation and weightlessness as models of faster aging: changes in liver gene regulators linked to cell aging and scarring

Updated

Abstract

Simulated microgravity and deep-space radiation analogs alter microRNA and mRNA networks linked to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway in mouse liver.

  • Spaceflight stressors, such as microgravity and radiation, may induce molecular changes that resemble biological aging.
  • Antagomir treatment affected genes related to senescence and inflammation but increased fibrosis-associated transcript levels.
  • Similar regulatory patterns were observed in human blood cells, suggesting a broader impact of spaceflight stressors on TGF-β-associated genes.
  • Findings indicate that spaceflight may drive aging-like molecular responses in metabolically important organs.

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Funding

Competing interests

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
PubMed

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