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FP trend5 November 2020 13:34:16
The Japanese space agency had sent a group of mice into space to learn about the effect space has on their bodies in an effort to monitor and control these changes. Space travel is known to induce changes in humans – similar to a fast version of what happens to people during the natural aging process – the results of the experiment can give answers in the field of anti-aging or slowing effects. of aging.
The team tested the effect that NRF2 induces in mice. While half of the twelve mice sent to the International Space Station in 2018 had factor 2 related to nuclear erythroid factor 2 (NRF2), the other six had been genetically modified to not have the same Nrf2 gene. The protein produced by this gene regulates adaptive responses against various environmental stressors. It is also known to prevent various ailments such as cancer and diabetes complications.
Representative image. Tech2
In the study conducted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) with Tohoku University, the mice were sent into space aboard the SpaceX Falcon rocket, after which they spent 31 days in space. During the space flight, all mice were treated identically and fed the same food. However, upon returning, the scientists saw that mice that did not have Nrf2 experienced some changes in their blood components that can be compared to the changes that humans undergo as they age. All the mice were healthy before the trip, however the mice without the protein stopped gaining weight while in space.
Astronauts who spend any time in space, but certainly months in a row, risk the possibility of being exposed to harmful radiation, which increases the risk of tumors and damage to the central nervous system. This is comparable to some of the processes involved in aging, with the key difference being the speed of these changes. Experts believe Nrf2 has the answer to shield the risks of going into space and eventually getting old.
Masayuki Yamamoto, professor of medical biochemistry at Tohoku University, said Kyodo News, “The results highlight the importance of the role played by Nrf2 in mitigating the impact of space-derived stress.”
The study was published in the journal Communications biology in the month of September.
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