Understanding how stem cells adapt to space flight conditions is
fundamental for human space missions and extraterrestrial settlement. We
analyzed gene expression in boundary cap neural crest stem cells
(bNCSCs), which are attractive for regenerative medicine by their
ability to promote proliferation and survival of co-cultured and
co-implanted cells. bNCSCs were launched to space (Space cells), onboard
Sounding rocket as free-floating neurospheres or in bioprinted scaffold.
For comparison, bNCSCs were placed in random positioning machine to
simulate microgravity (Microgravity cells) or cultured under Earth
conditions. Using Next-Generation RNA sequencing and data
post-processing, a list of genes that were at least two-fold changed
between control cells and Space cells were selected for further
analysis. Functional clusters of enriched genes were obtained by gene
ontology bioinformatics, using the DAVID program, and Ingenuity Pathway
Analysis was used to predict functional implications of the identified
gene expressions. Space cells upregulated genes related to proliferation
and survival, whereas Microgravity cells upregulated genes associated
with differentiation and inflammation. Thus, i) space flight provides
unique conditions with distinctly different effects on the properties of
bNCSCs compared to Earth controls, and ii) may induce post-flight
properties that reinforce the utility of bNCSCs for regenerative
medicine and tissue engineering.
Molecular Genetic Analysis of Neural Stem Cells After Space Flight And Simulated Microgravity on Earth
