Hematopoietic stem cells and lineage cells undergo dynamic alterations under microgravity and recovery conditions

Spaceflight leads to health risks including bone demineralization, skeletal muscle atrophy, cardiovascular dysfunction, and disorders of almost all physiologic systems. However, the impacts of microgravity on blood lineage cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in vivo are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed peripheral blood samples from 6 astronauts who had participated in spaceflight missions and found significant changes in several cell populations at different time points. These dynamic alterations of lineage cells and the role of HSCs were further studied in a mouse model, using hindlimb unloading (HU) to simulate microgravity. Large reductions in the frequency of NK cells, B cells, and erythrocyte precursors in the bone marrow of the HU mice were observed, together with an increased frequency of T cells, neutrophils, and HSCs. T cell levels recovered faster than those of B cells and erythrocyte precursors, whereas the recovery rates of NK cells and granulocytes were slow. In addition, competitive reconstitution experiments demonstrated the impaired function of HSCs, although these changes were reversible. Deep sequencing showed changes in the expression of regulatory molecules important for the differentiation of HSCs. This study provides the first determination of altered HSC function under simulated microgravity in vivo. The impairment of HSC function and differentiation provides an explanation for the immune disorders that occur under simulated microgravity. Thus, our findings demonstrated that spaceflight and simulated microgravity disrupt the homeostasis of immune system and cause dynamic alterations on both HSCs and lineage cells.—Cao, D., Song, J., Ling, S., Niu, S., Lu, L., Cui, Z., Li, Y., Hao, S., Zhong, G., Qi, Z., Sun, W., Yuan, X., Li, H., Zhao, D., Jin, X., Liu, C., Wu, X., Kan, G., Cao, H., Kang, Y., Yu, S., Li, Y. Hematopoietic stem cells and lineage cells undergo dynamic alterations under microgravity and recovery conditions. FASEB J. 33, 6904–6918 (2019). www.fasebj.org