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A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed that human heart tissue begins to show signs of ageing after just one month in space. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, along with their colleagues, sent engineered heart tissue to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of microgravity on the heart. The tissue, known as a "heart-on-a-chip," experienced a significant loss in contraction strength and developed irregular beating patterns after 12 days in space, indicating rapid cardiovascular changes during space travel.
The team engineered the heart tissue using stem cells and compared the samples sent to space with those kept on Earth. In space, the tissue's ability to contract weakened significantly, and its beats became more irregular. These effects persisted even after the tissue was brought back to Earth. Molecular and genetic analysis showed that the space-exposed tissue experienced changes linked to inflammation and heart disorders, while proteins essential for muscle function and energy production were reduced.
While the study shows the potential risks of prolonged space travel for astronauts' cardiovascular health, it also introduces new possibilities for research. The heart-on-a-chip system offers a valuable tool for studying the effects of space on other organs. The researchers are planning further experiments to explore the long-term impacts of space flight and to test drugs that could help counteract these detrimental effects on the heart.
