Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) across orbits (2024)

Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) across orbits

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

A Second Space Age Spanning Omics, Platforms, and Medicine Across Orbits

• Christopher E. Mason
• James Green
• Afshin Beheshti

Molecular and physiologic changes in the SpaceX Inspiration4 civilian crew

• C. W. Jones
• E. G. Overbey
• C. E. Mason

The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) and international astronaut biobank

• Eliah G. Overbey
• JangKeun Kim
• Christopher E. Mason

Secretome profiling reveals acute changes in oxidative stress, brain homeostasis, and coagulation following short-duration spaceflight

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.

• Nadia Houerbi
• JangKeun Kim
• Christopher E. Mason

Cosmic kidney disease: an integrated pan-omic, physiological and morphological study into spaceflight-induced renal dysfunction

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.

• Keith Siew
• Kevin A. Nestler
• Stephen B. Walsh

Single-cell analysis identifies conserved features of immune dysfunction in simulated microgravity and spaceflight

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.

• Fei Wu
• Huixun Du
• Daniel A. Winer

Single-cell multi-ome and immune profiles of the Inspiration4 crew reveal conserved, cell-type, and sex-specific responses to spaceflight

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.

• JangKeun Kim
• Braden T. Tierney
• Christopher E. Mason

Collection of biospecimens from the inspiration4 mission establishes the standards for the space omics and medical atlas (SOMA)

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.

• Eliah G. Overbey
• Krista Ryon
• Christopher E. Mason

Aging and putative frailty biomarkers are altered by spaceflight

• Andrea Camera
• Marshall Tabetah
• Afshin Beheshti

Characterizing dehydration in short-term spaceflight using evidence from Project Mercury

• Robert J. Reynolds
• Mark Shelhamer
• William R. Carpentier

Longitudinal multi-omics analysis of host microbiome architecture and immune responses during short-term spaceflight

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

• Braden T. Tierney
• JangKeun Kim
• Christopher E. Mason

Microbial adaptation to spaceflight is correlated with bacteriophage-encoded functions

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.

• Iris Irby
• Jared T. Broddrick

Phylogenomics, phenotypic, and functional traits of five novel (Earth-derived) bacterial species isolated from the International Space Station and their prevalence in metagenomes

• Anna C. Simpson
• Pratyay Sengupta
• Kasthuri Venkateswaran

Considering clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential in space radiation risk analysis for hematologic cancers and cardiovascular disease

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.

• Charles M. Werneth
• Zarana S. Patel
• Janice L. Huff

Spatial multi-omics of human skin reveals KRAS and inflammatory responses to spaceflight

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.

• Jiwoon Park
• Eliah G. Overbey
• Christopher E. Mason

Transcriptomics analysis reveals molecular alterations underpinning spaceflight dermatology

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.

• Henry Cope
• Jonas Elsborg
• Afshin Beheshti

Bioreactor development for skeletal muscle hypertrophy and atrophy by manipulating uniaxial cyclic strain: proof of concept

• Khaled Y. Kamal
• Mariam Atef Othman
• John M. Lawler

Spatially resolved multiomics on the neuronal effects induced by spaceflight in mice

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.

• Yuvarani Masarapu
• Egle Cekanaviciute
• Stefania Giacomello

Complex 33-beam simulated galactic cosmic radiation exposure impacts cognitive function and prefrontal cortex neurotransmitter networks in male mice

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.

• Rajeev I. Desai
• Brian D. Kangas
• Charles L. Limoli

Sexual dimorphism during integrative endocrine and immune responses to ionizing radiation in mice

• Marissa Burke
• Kelly Wong
• Amber M. Paul

Influence of the spaceflight environment on macrophage lineages

• Rocky An
• Virginia Katherine Blackwell
• Amber M. Paul

Combined space stressors induce independent behavioral deficits predicted by early peripheral blood monocytes

• Kira D. A. Rienecker
• Katherine Grue
• Susanna Rosi

Spatiotemporal expression and control of haemoglobin in space

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.

• Josef Borg
• Conor Loy
• Joseph Borg

Release of CD36-associated cell-free mitochondrial DNA and RNA as a hallmark of space environment response

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).

• Nailil Husna
• Tatsuya Aiba
• Masafumi Muratani

Telomeric RNA (TERRA) increases in response to spaceflight and high-altitude climbing

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).

• Taghreed M. Al-Turki
• David G. Maranon
• Susan M. Bailey

Chromosomal positioning and epigenetic architecture influence DNA methylation patterns triggered by galactic cosmic radiation

• Adrian Perdyan
• Marcin Jąkalski
• Jakub Mieczkowski

Arabidopsis telomerase takes off by uncoupling enzyme activity from telomere length maintenance in space

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

• Borja Barbero Barcenilla
• Alexander D. Meyers
• Dorothy E. Shippen

Direct RNA sequencing of astronaut blood reveals spaceflight-associated m6A increases and hematopoietic transcriptional responses

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.

• Kirill Grigorev
• Theodore M. Nelson
• Christopher E. Mason

Spaceflight induces changes in gene expression profiles linked to insulin and estrogen

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

• Begum Aydogan Mathyk
• Marshall Tabetah
• Afshin Beheshti

Understanding how space travel affects the female reproductive system

• Begum Mathyk
• Anthony N. Imudia
• Afshin Beheshti

Space radiation damage rescued by inhibition of key spaceflight associated miRNAs

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.

• J. Tyson McDonald
• JangKeun Kim
• Afshin Beheshti

Explainable machine learning identifies multi-omics signatures of muscle response to spaceflight in mice

• Kevin Li
• Riya Desai
• Sylvain V. Costes

Biomonitoring and precision health in deep space supported by artificial intelligence

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.

• Ryan T. Scott
• Lauren M. Sanders
• Sylvain V. Costes

Harmonizing heterogeneous transcriptomics datasets for machine learning-based analysis to identify spaceflown murine liver-specific changes

• Hari Ilangovan
• Prachi Kothiyal
• Parastou Eslami

Biological research and self-driving labs in deep space supported by artificial intelligence

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.

• Lauren M. Sanders
• Ryan T. Scott
• Sylvain V. Costes

NASA GeneLab derived microarray studies of Mus musculus and hom*o sapiens organisms in altered gravitational conditions

• Konstantinos I. Adamopoulos
• Lauren M. Sanders
• Sylvain V. Costes

The human microbiome and immune response shift during spaceflight

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.

Ethical considerations for the age of non-governmental space exploration

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.

• Allen Seylani
• Aman Singh Galsinh
• Dana Tulodziecki

Biological horizons: pioneering open science in the cosmos

• Sylvain V. Costes
• Chelle L. Gentemann
• Lisa A. Carnell

Inspiration4 data access through the NASA Open Science Data Repository

• Lauren M. Sanders
• Kirill A. Grigorev
• Sylvain V. Costes

Astronaut omics and the impact of space on the human body at scale

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.

• Lindsay A. Rutter
• Henry Cope
• Stefania Giacomello