PUBLICATION

Effects of microgravity simulation on zebrafish transcriptomes and bone physiology-exposure starting at 5 days post fertilization

Authors
Aceto, J., Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, R., Bradamante, S., Maier, J.A., Alestrom, P., van Loon, J.J., Muller, M.
ID
ZDB-PUB-170722-6
Date
2016
Source
NPJ microgravity   2: 16010 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Muller, Marc, Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, Rasoul
Keywords
Computational biology and bioinformatics, Developmental biology, Molecular biology, Physiology
MeSH Terms
none
PubMed
28725727 Full text @ NPJ Microgravity
Abstract
Physiological modifications in near weightlessness, as experienced by astronauts during space flight, have been the subject of numerous studies. Various animal models have been used on space missions or in microgravity simulation on ground to understand the effects of gravity on living animals. Here, we used the zebrafish larvae as a model to study the effect of microgravity simulation on bone formation and whole genome gene expression. To simulate microgravity (sim-μg), we used two-dimensional (2D) clinorotation starting at 5 days post fertilization to assess skeletal formation after 5 days of treatment. To assess early, regulatory effects on gene expression, a single day clinorotation was performed. Clinorotation for 5 days caused a significant decrease of bone formation, as shown by staining for cartilage and bone structures. This effect was not due to stress, as assessed by measuring cortisol levels in treated larvae. Gene expression results indicate that 1-day simulated microgravity affected musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and nuclear receptor systems. With free-swimming model organisms such as zebrafish larvae, the 2D clinorotation setup appears to be a very appropriate approach to sim-μg. We provide evidence for alterations in bone formation and other important biological functions; in addition several affected genes and pathways involved in bone, muscle or cardiovascular development are identified.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping