How do gravity alterations affect animal and human systems at a cellular/tissue level?

Cialdai, Francesca; Brown, Austin M.; Baumann, Cory W.; Angeloni, Debora; Baatout, Sarah; Benchoua, Alexandra; Bereiter-Hahn, Juergen; Bottai, Daniele; Buchheim, Judith-Irina; Calvaruso, Marco; Carnero-Diaz, Eugénie; Castiglioni, Sara; Cavalieri, Duccio; Ceccarelli, Gabriele; Choukér, Alexander; Ciofani, Gianni; Coppola, Giuseppe; Cusella, Gabriella; Degl’Innocenti, Andrea; Desaphy, Jean-Francois; Frippiat, Jean-Pol; Gelinsky, Michael; Genchi, Giada; Grano, Maria; Grimm, Daniela; Guignandon, Alain; Hahn, Christiane; Hatton, Jason; Herranz, Raúl; Hellweg, Christine E.; Iorio, Carlo Saverio; Karapantsios, Thodoris; van Loon, Jack; Lulli, Matteo; Maier, Jeanette; Malda, Jos; Mamaca, Emina; Morbidelli, Lucia; van Ombergen, Angelique; Osterman, Andreas; Ovsianikov, Aleksandr; Pampaloni, Francesco; Pavezlorie, Elizabeth; Pereda-Campos, Veronica; Przybyla, Cyrille; Puhl, Christopher; Rettberg, Petra; Risaliti, Chiara; Rizzo, Angela Maria; Robson-Brown, Kate; Rossi, Leonardo; Russo, Giorgio; Salvetti, Alessandra; Santucci, Daniela; Sperl, Matthias; Strollo, Felice; Tabury, Kevin; Tavella, Sara; Thielemann, Christiane; Willaert, Ronnie; Szewczyk, Nathaniel J.; Monici, Monica

doi:10.1038/s41526-023-00330-y

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…In the context of space exploration, it is necessary to expand our knowledge about the effects induced in human cells by stressors like microgravity. The application of advanced technologies such as 3D printing, tissue engineering, and regeneration among others plays a key role in the implementation of future research programs recommended by NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and other space agencies [42].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and Molecular Changes of Human Chondrocytes Exposed to the Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactor

Steinwerth,

Bertrand,

Sandt

et al. 2023

Biomolecules

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Over the last 30 years, the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA), a disease characterized by a loss of articular cartilage, has more than doubled worldwide. Patients suffer from pain and progressive loss of joint function. Cartilage is an avascular tissue mostly consisting of extracellular matrix with embedded chondrocytes. As such, it does not regenerate naturally, which makes an early onset of OA prevention and treatment a necessity to sustain the patients’ quality of life. In recent years, tissue engineering strategies for the regeneration of cartilage lesions have gained more and more momentum. In this study, we aimed to investigate the scaffold-free 3D cartilage tissue formation under simulated microgravity in the NASA-developed rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor. For this purpose, we cultured both primary human chondrocytes as well as cells from the immortalized line C28/I2 for up to 14 days on the RWV and analyzed tissue morphology, development of apoptosis, and expression of cartilage-specific proteins and genes by histological staining, TUNEL-assays, immunohistochemical detection of collagen species, and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. We observed spheroid formation in both cell types starting on day 3. After 14 days, constructs from C28/I2 cells had diameters of up to 5 mm, while primary chondrocyte spheroids were slightly smaller with 3 mm. Further inspection of the 14-day-old C28/I2 spheroids revealed a characteristic cartilage morphology with collagen-type 1, -type 2, and -type 10 positivity. Interestingly, these tissues were less susceptible to RWV-induced differential gene expression than those formed from primary chondrocytes, which showed significant changes in the regulation of IL6, ACTB, TUBB, VIM, COL1A1, COL10A1, MMP1, MMP3, MMP13, ITGB1, LAMA1, RUNX3, SOX9, and CASP3 gene expression. These diverging findings might reflect the differences between primary and immortalized cells. Taken together, this study shows that simulated microgravity using the RWV bioreactor is suitable to engineer dense 3D cartilage-like tissue without addition of scaffolds or any other artificial materials. Both primary articular cells and the stable chondrocyte cell line C28/I2 formed 3D neocartilage when exposed for 14 days to an RWV.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and Molecular Changes of Human Chondrocytes Exposed to the Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactor

Steinwerth,

Bertrand,

Sandt

et al. 2023

Biomolecules

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“…In addition to the described models, animals exposed to microgravity or space flight have also been studied recently. In Sandonà et al [30] mice have been in space for 91 days exhibited remarkable atrophy of the soleus muscle, while left EDL muscle unaffected [31][32][33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Custom-made 3D-printed boot as a model of disuse-induced atrophy in murine skeletal muscle

Masiero,

Ferrarese,

Perazzolo

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Skeletal muscle atrophy is characterized by a decrease in muscle mass and strength caused by an imbalance in protein synthesis and degradation. This process naturally occurs upon reduced or absent physical activity, often related to illness, forced bed rest, or unhealthy lifestyles. Currently, no treatment is available for atrophy, and it can only be prevented by overloading exercise, causing severe problems for patients who cannot exercise due to chronic diseases, disabilities, or being bedridden. The two murine models commonly used to induce muscle atrophy are hindlimb suspension and ankle joint immobilization, both of which come with criticalities. The lack of treatments and the relevance of this atrophic process require a unilateral, safe, and robust model to induce muscle atrophy. In this work, we designed and developed a 3D-printed cast to be used for the study of disuse skeletal muscle atrophy. Applying two halves of the cast is non-invasive, producing little to no swelling or skin damage. The application of the cast induces, in 2-weeks immobilized leg, the activation of atrophy-related genes, causing a muscle weight loss up to 25% in the gastrocnemius muscle, and 31% in the soleus muscle of the immobilized leg compared to the control leg. The cross-sectional area of the fibers is decreased by 31% and 34% respectively, with a peculiar effect on fiber types. In the immobilized gastrocnemius, absolute muscle force is reduced by 38%, while normalized force is reduced by 16%. The contralateral leg did not show signs of overload or hypertrophy when compared to free roaming littermates, offering a good internal control over the immobilized limb. Upon removing the cast, the mice effectively recovered mass and force in 3 weeks.

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Harnessing Gravity‐Induced Instability of Soft Materials: Mechanics and Application

Lü,

Li,

et al. 2024

Adv Funct Materials

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This work offers a comprehensive overview of how gravity affects soft materials, with a particular emphasis on gravity‐induced instability. Soft materials, including biological tissues, elastomers, and gels, are characterized by low elastic moduli and the ability to undergo significant deformations. These large deformations can lead to instabilities and the emergence of distinctive surface patterns when even small perturbations are introduced. An in‐depth understanding of these gravity‐induced instabilities in soft materials is of paramount importance for both fundamental scientific research and practical applications across diverse domains. The underlying mechanisms governing these instabilities are delved in and elucidate the techniques employed to study and manipulate them. Further, the gravity‐induced wrinkling and the Rayleigh‐Taylor (RT) instability in soft materials are zoomed in, highlighting how altered gravity environments impact natural and synthetic systems. Lastly, current and potential applications are underscored where gravity‐induced instabilities are already making an impact or may hold promise in the near future. In sum, the exploration of gravity‐induced instabilities in soft materials paves the way for innovative applications and advancements in a wide range of fields.

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How do gravity alterations affect animal and human systems at a cellular/tissue level?

Cited by 4 publications

References 59 publications

Structural and Molecular Changes of Human Chondrocytes Exposed to the Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactor

Structural and Molecular Changes of Human Chondrocytes Exposed to the Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactor

Custom-made 3D-printed boot as a model of disuse-induced atrophy in murine skeletal muscle

Harnessing Gravity‐Induced Instability of Soft Materials: Mechanics and Application

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