This groundbreaking research was led by University College Dublin (UCD) and McGill University, Canada, in partnership with NASA and an international consortium. It provides the most comprehensive analysis yet of how space travel affects the gut microbes astronauts take with them into space.
The study, published in 'npj Biofilms and Microbiomes', employed advanced genetic techniques to examine the gut microbiome, colons, and livers of mice aboard the International Space Station (ISS) over three months. The findings indicate considerable changes in specific bacteria and related shifts in host gene expression, which are linked to immune and metabolic dysfunctions commonly observed in space. These insights offer new perspectives on how such changes might influence astronaut health during prolonged space missions.
Dr. Emmanuel Gonzalez of McGill University, the study's lead author, explained: "Spaceflight extensively alters astronaut physiology, yet many underlying factors remain a mystery. By integrating new genomic methods, we can simultaneously explore gut bacteria and host genetics in extraordinary detail and are beginning to see patterns that could explain spaceflight pathology. It's clear we're not just sending humans and animals to space, but entire ecosystems, the understanding of which is crucial to help us develop safeguards for future space exploration."
The international effort, led by UCD with NASA GeneLab's Analysis Working Groups, is part of the Nature Portfolio package: 'The Second Space Age: Omics, Platforms and Medicine across Space Orbits'. This represents the largest coordinated release of space biology findings in history and underscores Ireland's growing involvement in microbiome and space life sciences. The research not only promises to advance aerospace medicine but also has significant implications for health on Earth.
Professor Nicholas Brereton, from the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science and senior author of the study, remarked: "These discoveries highlight the intricate dialogue between specific gut bacteria and their mouse hosts, critically involved in bile acid, cholesterol, and energy metabolism. They shed new light on the importance of microbiome symbiosis to health and how these Earth-evolved relationships may be vulnerable to the stresses of space. We hope this research exemplifies how cooperative Open Science can drive discoveries with clear medical benefits on Earth, while also supporting the upcoming Artemis missions, the deployment of the Gateway deep space station, and a crewed mission to Mars."
NASA Ames Research Center's Jonathan Galazka, Ames Space Biology Portfolio Scientist, added: "These discoveries are an important piece in our understanding of how spaceflight impacts astronauts and will aid the design of safe and effective missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. Moreover, the collaborative nature of this project is a blueprint for how Open Science can accelerate the pace of discovery."
Research Report:Spaceflight alters host-gut microbiota interactions
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Space Medicine Technology and Systems
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