Oxidative Stress on the Ground and in the Microgravity Environment: Pathophysiological Effects and Treatment

Abstract

With the continued exploration of the universe, there is an increasingly urgent need to address the health challenges arising from spaceflight. In space, astronauts are exposed to radiation, confinement and isolation, circadian rhythm dysregulation, and microgravity conditions that are different from those on Earth. These risk factors jeopardize astronauts' health, thus affecting the quality of space missions. Among these factors, gravitational changes influence the balance between oxidation and antioxidants, stimulating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), finally leading to oxidative stress (OS). OS leads to oxidative damage of biomolecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA, which causes the development of various diseases. The occurrence of OS is increased in microgravity and affects multiple systems, including the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of OS, the physiological effects on different systems caused by OS in microgravity environment, and potential treatments for OS. Finally, treatment strategies for oxidative stress in microgravity are summarized, providing some promising approaches for protecting the health of astronauts in future space exploration.

Keywords: antioxidants; microgravity; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; therapy.

Figure 1

Effects of OS on the organism in microgravity. OS can cause dysfunction in the body, such as neuroinflammation, learning and memory deficits, myocardial and vascular abnormalities, impairment of the integrity of the BBB, oxidative damage to immune cells, bone loss, and skeletal muscle atrophy. BBB: blood–brain barrier.

Figure 2

Therapeutic strategies for OS in microgravity. There are currently three strategies for treating microgravity-induced OS: the direct reduction of ROS by inhibiting oxidase activity or neutralizing peroxides, the enhancement of antioxidant capacity via exogenous antioxidant addition and inducing antioxidant activation induction, and exposure to 1G centrifugation. NIR: near-infrared.