Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging?
The increasing duration of space missions involves a progressively higher exposure of astronauts to cosmic rays, whose most hazardous component is made up of High-Atomic number and High-Energy (HZE) ions. HZE ions interact along their tracks with biological molecules inducing changes on living mater...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00955/full |
| _version_ | 1828484021511782400 |
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| author | Anna Giovanetti Flavia Tortolici Stefano Rufini |
| author_facet | Anna Giovanetti Flavia Tortolici Stefano Rufini |
| author_sort | Anna Giovanetti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing duration of space missions involves a progressively higher exposure of astronauts to cosmic rays, whose most hazardous component is made up of High-Atomic number and High-Energy (HZE) ions. HZE ions interact along their tracks with biological molecules inducing changes on living material qualitatively different from that observed after irradiation for therapeutic purposes or following nuclear accidents. HZE ions trigger in cells different responses initialized by DNA damage and mitochondria dysregulation, which cause a prolonged state of sterile inflammation in the tissues. These cellular phenomena may explain why spending time in space was found to cause the onset of a series of diseases normally related to aging. These changes that mimic aging but take place more quickly make space flights also an opportunity to study the mechanisms underlying aging. In this short review, we describe the biological mechanisms underlying cell senescence and aging; the peculiar characteristics of HZE ions, their interaction with living matter and the effects on the organism; the key role of mitochondria in HZE ion-induced health effects and aging-related phenomena. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:48:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dcf734cf5c984554a19584b23445456d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:48:43Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-dcf734cf5c984554a19584b23445456d2022-12-22T01:14:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2020-08-011110.3389/fphys.2020.00955516937Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging?Anna Giovanetti0Flavia Tortolici1Stefano Rufini2ENEA, Department of Energy and Sustainable Economic, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyThe increasing duration of space missions involves a progressively higher exposure of astronauts to cosmic rays, whose most hazardous component is made up of High-Atomic number and High-Energy (HZE) ions. HZE ions interact along their tracks with biological molecules inducing changes on living material qualitatively different from that observed after irradiation for therapeutic purposes or following nuclear accidents. HZE ions trigger in cells different responses initialized by DNA damage and mitochondria dysregulation, which cause a prolonged state of sterile inflammation in the tissues. These cellular phenomena may explain why spending time in space was found to cause the onset of a series of diseases normally related to aging. These changes that mimic aging but take place more quickly make space flights also an opportunity to study the mechanisms underlying aging. In this short review, we describe the biological mechanisms underlying cell senescence and aging; the peculiar characteristics of HZE ions, their interaction with living matter and the effects on the organism; the key role of mitochondria in HZE ion-induced health effects and aging-related phenomena.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00955/fullagingcosmic raysmitochondrionDNA damagecell signaling |
| spellingShingle | Anna Giovanetti Flavia Tortolici Stefano Rufini Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? Frontiers in Physiology aging cosmic rays mitochondrion DNA damage cell signaling |
| title | Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? |
| title_full | Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? |
| title_fullStr | Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? |
| title_short | Why Do the Cosmic Rays Induce Aging? |
| title_sort | why do the cosmic rays induce aging |
| topic | aging cosmic rays mitochondrion DNA damage cell signaling |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00955/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annagiovanetti whydothecosmicraysinduceaging AT flaviatortolici whydothecosmicraysinduceaging AT stefanorufini whydothecosmicraysinduceaging |