2023-04-20 22:22:07
Experiments with mice sent to the International Space Station (ISS) have shown that changes in the gut bacteria of space travelers may be linked to bone loss.
According to the RT website, this study showed that mice that spent a month or more on the International Space Station experienced more changes and diversity in their gut microbiome.
The results suggest that bacterial species growing in space may have helped increase the production of molecules that influence bone changes.
“This is just another clear example of the dynamic interactions between the microbiome and the mammalian host,” said senior author Wanyuan Shi, a microbiologist and CEO of the Forsyth Institute in the US. “Also when exposed to microgravity. It is exciting and opens up new horizons for exploration.”
According to the researchers, if scientists can identify microbes that support the maintenance of bone density, this might help astronauts stay healthier in space and might also help people on Earth who suffer from bone loss, such as helping people with osteoporosis.
The researchers sent 20 mice to the International Space Station to investigate how the microbiome changes during long-term exposure to microgravity and to investigate the possible relationship between these changes and bone density.
Ten of these mice came back alive following 4.5 weeks, and the researchers tracked how the rodents recovered.
The remaining 10 space mice remained in orbit for 9 weeks.
Another 20 rats were placed on the ground under the same conditions, except for microgravity.
The researchers compared the microbial communities of the different groups over time — before launch, following return to Earth, and at the end of the study.
They found that space mice have more diverse gut microbes, with two specific types of bacteria being more abundant in rodents exposed to microgravity.
Bacterial levels were higher in rodents that had been in space for 9 weeks versus 4.5 weeks.
Dr Shi said: “This is the first time in NASA history that a live rodent has been returned to Earth. This means that we were able to collect information regarding the change in space and then monitor the recovery of the microbiome following it returned.” The good news is that although the microbiome changes in space, these changes don’t seem to persist following returning to Earth.
Bones are not repaired, and even when a human is fully developed, material is constantly being added, removed, and transformed in a process called bone remodeling.
Recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota may influence this process through various mechanisms, including interactions with the immune and hormonal systems.
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