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Cited by 36Spaceflight effects on biologyEpigenetics and DNA MethylationGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms

A Longitudinal Epigenetic Aging and Leukocyte Analysis of Simulated Space Travel: The Mars-500 Mission

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Nwanaji-Enwerem, Jamaji C., Nwanaji-Enwerem, Uzoji, Van Der Laan, Lars, Galazka, Jonathan M., Redeker, Nancy S., Cardenas, Andres·2020·Cell Reports
DOI 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108406PMC PMC7786521
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Abstract

Astronauts undertaking long-duration space missions may be vulnerable to unique stressors that can impact human aging. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the relationship of mission duration with DNA-methylation-based biomarkers of aging in astronauts. Using data from the six participants of the Mars-500 mission, a high-fidelity 520-day ground simulation experiment, we tested relationships of mission duration with five longitudinally measured blood DNA-methylation-based metrics: DNAmGrimAge, DNAmPhenoAge, DNA-methylation-based estimator of telomere length (DNAmTL), mitotic divisions (epigenetic mitotic clock [epiTOC2]), and pace of aging (PoA). We provide evidence that, relative to baseline, mission duration was associated with significant decreases in epigenetic aging. However, only decreases in DNAmPhenoAge remained significant 7 days post-mission. We also observed significant changes in estimated proportions of plasmablasts, CD4T, CD8 naive, and natural killer (NK) cells. Only decreases in NK cells remained significant post-mission. If confirmed more broadly, these findings contribute insights to improve the understanding of the biological aging implications for individuals experiencing long-duration space travel.

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  • Increase of ROS production due to exposure to space radiation and microgravity could be associated with premature aging and loss of biological fitness in astronauts.

    “The increase of ROS production due to the exposure to space radiation and microgravity could be associated with premature aging and loss of biological fitness in astronauts191,192.”

    From Key points for the development of antioxidant cocktails to prevent cellular stress and damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during manned space missions (2021) · cites this paper as [192]

    The Introduction identifies microgravity and cosmic radiation as spaceflight stressors that can affect aging. But the cited paper does not link those exposures to increased ROS production or loss of biological fitness; the Discussion notes that the Mars-500 simulation did not replicate either exposure and reports decreased epigenetic aging during the mission. No page numbers were provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Authors
Nwanaji-Enwerem, J. C., Nwanaji-Enwerem, U., Van Der Laan, L., Galazka, J. M., Redeker, N. S., & Cardenas, A.
Affiliations
  • Yale University (US)
  • Ames Research Center (US)
ORCID
Venue
Cell Reports
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-12
Volume
33
Issue
10
Pages
108406
ISSN
2211-1247 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108406
PMC
PMC7786521
OpenAlex
W3107836811
Cited by
36
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10
FWCI
3.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Cell Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
Keywords
epigenetic aging, DNA methylation, simulated spaceflight, long-duration spaceflight, astronauts, pace of aging, leukocyte composition, natural killer cells, CD4+ T cells, naive CD8+ T cells, plasmablasts, mission duration
MeSH terms
Adult, Aging, Humans, Leukocyte Count, Leukocytes, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Space Flight, Time Factors, Weightlessness, Astronauts, DNA Methylation, Epigenesis, Genetic, Epigenomics

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