Heart Tissue Ages Faster in Space, Scientists Find
Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medical Center conducted a groundbreaking study by sending human heart tissue to the International Space Station (ISS) to examine how low gravity affects heart health.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
After 30 days of observation, the researchers detected notable changes in the heart tissue, offering new insights into the potential health risks of long-term space travel and opening doors to novel treatments for heart disease.
Led by Professor Deok-Ho Kim, the team engineered heart tissue from human stem cells, placing it on small chips designed to replicate the heart’s environment.
These tissues were launched to the ISS in March 2020 aboard the SpaceX CRS-20 mission. While in orbit, the heart tissue was closely monitored, and samples were taken for further analysis.
The results were unexpected: heart tissue in space exhibited a significantly diminished ability to contract and displayed irregular heartbeat patterns. Additionally, molecular and genetic changes resembling those associated with aging were observed.
These findings suggest that prolonged exposure to low gravity could have serious effects on the heart, which must be considered when planning extended space missions, such as future trips to Mars. Furthermore, these changes may contribute to the development of new heart disease treatments, both in space and on Earth.
Professor Kim’s team is now testing various drugs on heart tissue in space to determine if they can mitigate the negative effects of low gravity. They are also refining their tissue chip technology and investigating the impact of space radiation on heart tissue.
