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Simulated microgravity triggers epithelial mesenchymal transition in human keratinocytes
Danilo Ranieri1, Sara Proietti2, Simona Dinicola2
1Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy. danilo.ranieri@uniroma1.it.
Scientific Reports
|April 5, 2017
Summary
Simulated microgravity using a Random Positioning Machine (RPM) enhances human keratinocyte migration and wound healing. This weightlessness simulation triggers epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), crucial for tissue repair.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Space Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Microgravity affects cellular functions, including gene expression and structure.
- Simulated microgravity via Random Positioning Machine (RPM) is a key tool for studying weightlessness effects.
- Previous studies show RPM affects circadian rhythms in human keratinocytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate simulated microgravity's impact on human epidermal cell regeneration.
- Analyze effects on the re-epithelialization phase of wound healing.
- Determine if microgravity influences cellular repair mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Cultured human keratinocytes exposed to simulated microgravity using RPM.
- Morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses performed.
- Examined re-epithelialization, cell migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers.
Main Results:
- Simulated microgravity exposure promoted keratinocyte migration.
- Triggered epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epidermal cells.
- Upregulated key EMT markers: Snail1, Snail2, ZEB2, metalloproteases, and mesenchymal components.
Conclusions:
- Simulated microgravity enhances human keratinocyte migratory behavior.
- Weightlessness conditions facilitate wound healing processes by inducing EMT.
- Findings provide insights into cellular adaptation to microgravity for regenerative medicine.