Space-bound Antioxidant Regulator Shields Muscle Tissue
In a groundbreaking study published in Communications Biology, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have uncovered the role of a protein named Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in maintaining muscle strength during space flights. The findings of this study, which can be accessed at DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02334-4, could have significant implications for future space missions and for addressing muscle wasting in diseases like cancer or during the aging process.
The study, led by Professor Hiroshi Kawashima, focused on the changes that occur in muscle tissue during space flights. It is well-known that muscles tend to lose slow-twitch fibers and gain fast-twitch fibers in microgravity conditions. This shift can lead to muscle atrophy, or weakening, which is a common feature of disease, aging, and inactivity.
Researchers deleted the gene encoding NRF2 in mice and sent them to live on the International Space Station for a month. The findings suggest that NRF2 plays a crucial role in regulating oxidative and metabolic responses in skeletal muscle during space flights, helping to prevent the muscle from becoming weak.
Interestingly, the Nrf2-knockout mice did not lose more muscle mass than the control mice under microgravity conditions. However, there was a significantly accelerated rate of slow-to-fast fiber type transition in the Nrf2-knockout mice. This indicates that NRF2 helps keep muscles from becoming fast-twitch, which is associated with weakness.
There were noticeable changes in the way that the muscle tissue used energy and nutrients in the Nrf2-knockout mice. These changes could explain why the mice did not lose more muscle mass, despite the accelerated fiber type transition.
The authors of the study declare no competing interests, and the research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (14YPTK-005512; S.T.) and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas from MEXT (18H04965; S.T.).
Targeting NFR2 could be a promising avenue for addressing muscle wasting in diseases like cancer or during the aging process. The study suggests that targeting NFR2 could also be useful for helping prevent muscle changes in astronauts during space flights.
In addition to their work on NRF2, researchers at the University of Tsukuba have also identified proteins such as heat shock proteins (HSPs) that help maintain muscle strength in low gravity. These findings could pave the way for further research into the mechanisms that help muscles adapt to space flights and could lead to the development of new strategies for preventing muscle atrophy during space missions.
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