Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) across orbits

New studies on astronauts and space biology bring humanity one step closer to the final frontier

Here the authors report spaceflight secretome profiles by integrating plasma proteome, metabolome, and extracellular vesicles/particles proteome from the SpaceX Inspiration4 crew, which showed differences in coagulation, oxidative stress, and brain-enriched proteins.

Siew et al. using multi-omic, physiological & imaging approaches have demonstrated that spaceflight causes kidney remodelling, suggesting a contribution to kidney stone formation, & that space radiation causes kidney damage & early signs of dysfunction.

The phenotype and function of immune cells could change during spaceflight. Here the authors use simulated microgravity, coupled to validation with spaceflight data, to assess whether there are distinct gene expression changes in resting and TLR 7/8 stimulated PBMCs and found conserved changes in IFN signalling, the cytoskeleton, IL-6 and sirtuin signalling.

Multiple omics platforms and deep single-cell profiling in the I4 astronauts reveal both conserved and distinct immune system disruptions across missions, provide a single-cell immune reference for future missions.

Here the authors provide the biospecimen collection methodology from the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, including venous blood, capillary blood, saliva, urine, stool, skin biopsy, body swab, and environmental swab samples.

Longitudinal multi-omics reveals shifts to the human microbiome across multiple body sites and the associated immune responses during short-term spaceflight.

Viruses that infect bacteria shape microbial communities. Here, authors show that this may hold for bacteria isolated from the International Space Station, with spacefaring viruses correlated to host adaptation to the spaceflight environment.

Werneth et al. evaluate the impact of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) on health risks associated with space radiation exposures in astronauts. This work highlights the importance of considering personalized risk factors, such as CHIP, for effective risk assessment and monitoring of astronaut health.

Here the authors profile skin microenvironment changes in response to spaceflight by performing a multi omics analysis using skin punch biopsies from the crew members of SpaceX Inspiration4 mission comparing before, post launch and one day after return 91 of the 3-day mission.

Cope, Elsborg et al. analyzed transcriptomic data from mice and astronauts flown to space and identified molecular signatures of DNA damage and repair, mitochondrial dysregulation, and skin barrier disruption. These changes may underpin dermatological issues in astronauts.

A spatial transcriptomics and single-cell multiomics study performed on mouse brain tissue. Here, authors show region-specific spaceflight-induced alterations in processes of neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and synaptic transmission.

Here the authors show in male mice that acute and chronic complex simulated galactic cosmic radiation exposure differentially reorganized prefrontal cortex neurotransmitter networks in vivo, which was associated with cognitive deficits.

Here the authors analyse the impact of space on haemoglobin gene regulation using data from NASA, JAXA and SpaceX i4 missions. They find that globin gene down-regulation leads to space anaemia with post-flight recovery, and reveal an adult-to-foetal globin switch activation.

It has been reported that a spaceflight causes mitochondrial stress in astronauts. Here the authors suggest that mitochondrial components are released into the plasma during spaceflight as components of CD36-marked extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Transcriptomics (RNA-seq) data reveal significantly increased telomeric RNA, or TERRA, in response to spaceflight and radiation exposure (compared to baseline and ground control samples).

Telomeres are proposed to be sentinels for stress. Here, the authors report a strong induction of telomerase in space-flown Arabidopsis without telomere length changes. Instead, telomerase activity is inversely correlated with genome oxidation

Here the authors explore the role of chemical modifications within RNA molecules in spaceflight response, observing increased m⁶A mRNA modifications immediately post-spaceflight in gene markers associated with stress response.

Analysis of data from mice having spent time at the International Space Station and from a group of astronauts and a set of commercial spaceflight participants reveals alterations in genes related to insulin and estrogen signaling during spaceflight

In space radiation-exposed cells, targeting specific microRNAs with antagomirs can reduce cardiovascular damage and improve cellular function. Here the authors describe a reduction in inflammation and DNA double-strand break activity within these cells upon antagomir treatment.

Deep-space exploration missions require new technologies that can support astronaut health systems as well as biological monitoring and research systems that can function independently from Earth-based mission control centres. A NASA workshop explored how artificial intelligence advances could help address these challenges and, in this first of two Review articles based on the findings from the workshop, a vision for autonomous biomonitoring and precision space health is discussed.

Deep space exploration missions will require new technologies that can support astronaut health systems, as well as biological monitoring and research systems that can function independently from Earth-based mission control centres. A NASA workshop explored how artificial intelligence advances could help address these challenges and, in this second of two Review articles based on the findings from the workshop, the intersection between artificial intelligence and space biology is discussed.

The largest-ever study of alterations in the host’s microbiome and immune response during spaceflight shows shifts in the skin and oral microbiota during flight that are consistent across astronauts, with numerous changes in microbial gene expression that also correlate to host immune activity.

New and dynamically changing opportunities for commercial/private and civilian spaceflight raise the need for an examination of how to ethically guide space industry and community. This Perspective explores such considerations with respect to space traveler selection and human subject research.

High-resolution omics data have facilitated the ongoing Human Cell Atlas project. In this Perspective, Rutter and colleagues propose that a parallel Human Cell Space Atlas initiative would provide a platform for spaceflight-associated research and healthcare.