The NASA twins study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight

Francine E. Garrett-Bakelman; Manjula Darshi; Stefan J. Green; Ruben C. Gur; Ling Lin; Brandon R. Macias; Miles J. McKenna; Cem Meydan; Tejaswini Mishra; Jad Nasrini; Brian D. Piening; Lindsay F. Rizzardi; Kumar Sharma; Jamila H. Siamwala; Lynn Taylor; Martha Hotz Vitaterna; Maryam Afkarian; Ebrahim Afshinnekoo; Sara Ahadi; Aditya Ambati; Maneesh Arya; Daniela Bezdan; Colin M. Callahan; Songjie Chen; Augustine M.K. Choi; George E. Chlipala; Kévin Contrepois; Marisa Covington; Brian E. Crucian; Immaculata De Vivo; David F. Dinges; Douglas J. Ebert; Jason I. Feinberg; Jorge A. Gandara; Kerry A. George; John Goutsias; George S. Grills; Alan R. Hargens; Martina Heer; Ryan P. Hillary; Andrew N. Hoofnagle; Vivian Y.H. Hook; Garrett Jenkinson; Peng Jiang; Ali Keshavarzian; Steven S. Laurie; B. Lee-McMullen; Sarah B. Lumpkins; Matthew MacKay; Mark G. Maienschein-Cline; Ari M. Melnick; Tyler M. Moore; Kiichi Nakahira; Hemal H. Patel; Robert Pietrzyk; Varsha Rao; Rintaro Saito; Denis N. Salins; Jan M. Schilling; Dorothy D. Sears; Caroline K. Sheridan; Michael B. Stenger; Rakel Tryggvadottir; Alexander E. Urban; Tomas Vaisar; Benjamin Van Espen; Jing Zhang; Michael G. Ziegler; Sara R. Zwart; John B. Charles; Craig E. Kundrot; Graham B.I. Scott; Susan M. Bailey; Mathias Basner; Andrew P. Feinberg; Stuart M.C. Lee; Christopher E. Mason; Emmanuel Mignot; Brinda K. Rana; Scott M. Smith; Michael P. Snyder; Fred W. Turek

doi:10.1126/science.aau8650

The NASA twins study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight

Francine E. Garrett-Bakelman, Manjula Darshi, Stefan J. Green, Ruben C. Gur, Ling Lin, Brandon R. Macias, Miles J. McKenna, Cem Meydan, Tejaswini Mishra, Jad Nasrini, Brian D. Piening, Lindsay F. Rizzardi, Kumar Sharma, Jamila H. Siamwala, Lynn Taylor, Martha Hotz Vitaterna, Maryam Afkarian, Ebrahim Afshinnekoo, Sara Ahadi, Aditya AmbatiManeesh Arya, Daniela Bezdan, Colin M. Callahan, Songjie Chen, Augustine M.K. Choi, George E. Chlipala, Kévin Contrepois, Marisa Covington, Brian E. Crucian, Immaculata De Vivo, David F. Dinges, Douglas J. Ebert, Jason I. Feinberg, Jorge A. Gandara, Kerry A. George, John Goutsias, George S. Grills, Alan R. Hargens, Martina Heer, Ryan P. Hillary, Andrew N. Hoofnagle, Vivian Y.H. Hook, Garrett Jenkinson, Peng Jiang, Ali Keshavarzian, Steven S. Laurie, B. Lee-McMullen, Sarah B. Lumpkins, Matthew MacKay, Mark G. Maienschein-Cline, Ari M. Melnick, Tyler M. Moore, Kiichi Nakahira, Hemal H. Patel, Robert Pietrzyk, Varsha Rao, Rintaro Saito, Denis N. Salins, Jan M. Schilling, Dorothy D. Sears, Caroline K. Sheridan, Michael B. Stenger, Rakel Tryggvadottir, Alexander E. Urban, Tomas Vaisar, Benjamin Van Espen, Jing Zhang, Michael G. Ziegler, Sara R. Zwart, John B. Charles^*, Craig E. Kundrot, Graham B.I. Scott, Susan M. Bailey, Mathias Basner, Andrew P. Feinberg, Stuart M.C. Lee, Christopher E. Mason, Emmanuel Mignot, Brinda K. Rana, Scott M. Smith, Michael P. Snyder, Fred W. Turek

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

753 Scopus citations

Abstract

To understand the health impact of long-duration spaceflight, one identical twin astronaut was monitored before, during, and after a 1-year mission onboard the International Space Station; his twin served as a genetically matched ground control. Longitudinal assessments identified spaceflight-specific changes, including decreased body mass, telomere elongation, genome instability, carotid artery distension and increased intimamedia thickness, altered ocular structure, transcriptional and metabolic changes, DNA methylation changes in immune and oxidative stress-related pathways, gastrointestinal microbiota alterations, and some cognitive decline postflight. Although average telomere length, global gene expression, and microbiome changes returned to near preflight levels within 6 months after return to Earth, increased numbers of short telomeres were observed and expression of some genes was still disrupted. These multiomic, molecular, physiological, and behavioral datasets provide a valuable roadmap of the putative health risks for future human spaceflight.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	eaau8650
Journal	Science
Volume	364
Issue number	6436
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau8650
State	Published - 2019

Funding

The study was supported by NASA: NNX14AH51G [all Twins Study principal investigators (PIs)]; NNX14AB02G (S.M.B.); NNX14AH27G/NCC 9-58 (M.B.); NN13AJ12G (A.R.H.); NNX14AN75G (S.M.C.L.); NNX17AB26G, NNX17AB26G, and TRISH: NNX16AO69A:0107 and NNX16AO69A:0061 (C.E.M.); NNX14AH52G (M.P.S.); and NNX14AH26G (F.W.T.). Additional support was provided by NIH grants AG035031, NIH/NIDDK P30 DK017047, and P30 DK035816 (K.S.); NSF grant CCF-1656201 (J.G.); and DLR space program grant 50WB1535 (M.H.), as well as the Bert L. and N. Kuggie Vallee Foundation, the WorldQuant Foundation, The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1151054) for funding (C.E.M.).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1126/science.aau8650

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Garrett-Bakelman, F. E., Darshi, M., Green, S. J., Gur, R. C., Lin, L., Macias, B. R., McKenna, M. J., Meydan, C., Mishra, T., Nasrini, J., Piening, B. D., Rizzardi, L. F., Sharma, K., Siamwala, J. H., Taylor, L., Vitaterna, M. H., Afkarian, M., Afshinnekoo, E., Ahadi, S., ... Turek, F. W. (2019). The NASA twins study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight. Science, 364(6436), Article eaau8650. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau8650

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title = "The NASA twins study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight",

abstract = "To understand the health impact of long-duration spaceflight, one identical twin astronaut was monitored before, during, and after a 1-year mission onboard the International Space Station; his twin served as a genetically matched ground control. Longitudinal assessments identified spaceflight-specific changes, including decreased body mass, telomere elongation, genome instability, carotid artery distension and increased intimamedia thickness, altered ocular structure, transcriptional and metabolic changes, DNA methylation changes in immune and oxidative stress-related pathways, gastrointestinal microbiota alterations, and some cognitive decline postflight. Although average telomere length, global gene expression, and microbiome changes returned to near preflight levels within 6 months after return to Earth, increased numbers of short telomeres were observed and expression of some genes was still disrupted. These multiomic, molecular, physiological, and behavioral datasets provide a valuable roadmap of the putative health risks for future human spaceflight.",

author = "Garrett-Bakelman, {Francine E.} and Manjula Darshi and Green, {Stefan J.} and Gur, {Ruben C.} and Ling Lin and Macias, {Brandon R.} and McKenna, {Miles J.} and Cem Meydan and Tejaswini Mishra and Jad Nasrini and Piening, {Brian D.} and Rizzardi, {Lindsay F.} and Kumar Sharma and Siamwala, {Jamila H.} and Lynn Taylor and Vitaterna, {Martha Hotz} and Maryam Afkarian and Ebrahim Afshinnekoo and Sara Ahadi and Aditya Ambati and Maneesh Arya and Daniela Bezdan and Callahan, {Colin M.} and Songjie Chen and Choi, {Augustine M.K.} and Chlipala, {George E.} and K{\'e}vin Contrepois and Marisa Covington and Crucian, {Brian E.} and {De Vivo}, Immaculata and Dinges, {David F.} and Ebert, {Douglas J.} and Feinberg, {Jason I.} and Gandara, {Jorge A.} and George, {Kerry A.} and John Goutsias and Grills, {George S.} and Hargens, {Alan R.} and Martina Heer and Hillary, {Ryan P.} and Hoofnagle, {Andrew N.} and Hook, {Vivian Y.H.} and Garrett Jenkinson and Peng Jiang and Ali Keshavarzian and Laurie, {Steven S.} and B. Lee-McMullen and Lumpkins, {Sarah B.} and Matthew MacKay and Maienschein-Cline, {Mark G.} and Melnick, {Ari M.} and Moore, {Tyler M.} and Kiichi Nakahira and Patel, {Hemal H.} and Robert Pietrzyk and Varsha Rao and Rintaro Saito and Salins, {Denis N.} and Schilling, {Jan M.} and Sears, {Dorothy D.} and Sheridan, {Caroline K.} and Stenger, {Michael B.} and Rakel Tryggvadottir and Urban, {Alexander E.} and Tomas Vaisar and {Van Espen}, Benjamin and Jing Zhang and Ziegler, {Michael G.} and Zwart, {Sara R.} and Charles, {John B.} and Kundrot, {Craig E.} and Scott, {Graham B.I.} and Bailey, {Susan M.} and Mathias Basner and Feinberg, {Andrew P.} and Lee, {Stuart M.C.} and Mason, {Christopher E.} and Emmanuel Mignot and Rana, {Brinda K.} and Smith, {Scott M.} and Snyder, {Michael P.} and Turek, {Fred W.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Authors.",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1126/science.aau8650",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "364",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6436",

}

Garrett-Bakelman, FE, Darshi, M, Green, SJ, Gur, RC, Lin, L, Macias, BR, McKenna, MJ, Meydan, C, Mishra, T, Nasrini, J, Piening, BD, Rizzardi, LF, Sharma, K, Siamwala, JH, Taylor, L, Vitaterna, MH, Afkarian, M, Afshinnekoo, E, Ahadi, S, Ambati, A, Arya, M, Bezdan, D, Callahan, CM, Chen, S, Choi, AMK, Chlipala, GE, Contrepois, K, Covington, M, Crucian, BE, De Vivo, I, Dinges, DF, Ebert, DJ, Feinberg, JI, Gandara, JA, George, KA, Goutsias, J, Grills, GS, Hargens, AR, Heer, M, Hillary, RP, Hoofnagle, AN, Hook, VYH, Jenkinson, G, Jiang, P, Keshavarzian, A, Laurie, SS, Lee-McMullen, B, Lumpkins, SB, MacKay, M, Maienschein-Cline, MG, Melnick, AM, Moore, TM, Nakahira, K, Patel, HH, Pietrzyk, R, Rao, V, Saito, R, Salins, DN, Schilling, JM, Sears, DD, Sheridan, CK, Stenger, MB, Tryggvadottir, R, Urban, AE, Vaisar, T, Van Espen, B, Zhang, J, Ziegler, MG, Zwart, SR, Charles, JB, Kundrot, CE, Scott, GBI, Bailey, SM, Basner, M, Feinberg, AP, Lee, SMC, Mason, CE, Mignot, E, Rana, BK, Smith, SM, Snyder, MP & Turek, FW 2019, 'The NASA twins study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight', Science, vol. 364, no. 6436, eaau8650. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau8650

TY - JOUR

T1 - The NASA twins study

T2 - A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight

AU - Garrett-Bakelman, Francine E.

AU - Darshi, Manjula

AU - Green, Stefan J.

AU - Gur, Ruben C.

AU - Lin, Ling

AU - Macias, Brandon R.

AU - McKenna, Miles J.

AU - Meydan, Cem

AU - Mishra, Tejaswini

AU - Nasrini, Jad

AU - Piening, Brian D.

AU - Rizzardi, Lindsay F.

AU - Sharma, Kumar

AU - Siamwala, Jamila H.

AU - Taylor, Lynn

AU - Vitaterna, Martha Hotz

AU - Afkarian, Maryam

AU - Afshinnekoo, Ebrahim

AU - Ahadi, Sara

AU - Ambati, Aditya

AU - Arya, Maneesh

AU - Bezdan, Daniela

AU - Callahan, Colin M.

AU - Chen, Songjie

AU - Choi, Augustine M.K.

AU - Chlipala, George E.

AU - Contrepois, Kévin

AU - Covington, Marisa

AU - Crucian, Brian E.

AU - De Vivo, Immaculata

AU - Dinges, David F.

AU - Ebert, Douglas J.

AU - Feinberg, Jason I.

AU - Gandara, Jorge A.

AU - George, Kerry A.

AU - Goutsias, John

AU - Grills, George S.

AU - Hargens, Alan R.

AU - Heer, Martina

AU - Hillary, Ryan P.

AU - Hoofnagle, Andrew N.

AU - Hook, Vivian Y.H.

AU - Jenkinson, Garrett

AU - Jiang, Peng

AU - Keshavarzian, Ali

AU - Laurie, Steven S.

AU - Lee-McMullen, B.

AU - Lumpkins, Sarah B.

AU - MacKay, Matthew

AU - Maienschein-Cline, Mark G.

AU - Melnick, Ari M.

AU - Moore, Tyler M.

AU - Nakahira, Kiichi

AU - Patel, Hemal H.

AU - Pietrzyk, Robert

AU - Rao, Varsha

AU - Saito, Rintaro

AU - Salins, Denis N.

AU - Schilling, Jan M.

AU - Sears, Dorothy D.

AU - Sheridan, Caroline K.

AU - Stenger, Michael B.

AU - Tryggvadottir, Rakel

AU - Urban, Alexander E.

AU - Vaisar, Tomas

AU - Van Espen, Benjamin

AU - Zhang, Jing

AU - Ziegler, Michael G.

AU - Zwart, Sara R.

AU - Charles, John B.

AU - Kundrot, Craig E.

AU - Scott, Graham B.I.

AU - Bailey, Susan M.

AU - Basner, Mathias

AU - Feinberg, Andrew P.

AU - Lee, Stuart M.C.

AU - Mason, Christopher E.

AU - Mignot, Emmanuel

AU - Rana, Brinda K.

AU - Smith, Scott M.

AU - Snyder, Michael P.

AU - Turek, Fred W.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - To understand the health impact of long-duration spaceflight, one identical twin astronaut was monitored before, during, and after a 1-year mission onboard the International Space Station; his twin served as a genetically matched ground control. Longitudinal assessments identified spaceflight-specific changes, including decreased body mass, telomere elongation, genome instability, carotid artery distension and increased intimamedia thickness, altered ocular structure, transcriptional and metabolic changes, DNA methylation changes in immune and oxidative stress-related pathways, gastrointestinal microbiota alterations, and some cognitive decline postflight. Although average telomere length, global gene expression, and microbiome changes returned to near preflight levels within 6 months after return to Earth, increased numbers of short telomeres were observed and expression of some genes was still disrupted. These multiomic, molecular, physiological, and behavioral datasets provide a valuable roadmap of the putative health risks for future human spaceflight.

AB - To understand the health impact of long-duration spaceflight, one identical twin astronaut was monitored before, during, and after a 1-year mission onboard the International Space Station; his twin served as a genetically matched ground control. Longitudinal assessments identified spaceflight-specific changes, including decreased body mass, telomere elongation, genome instability, carotid artery distension and increased intimamedia thickness, altered ocular structure, transcriptional and metabolic changes, DNA methylation changes in immune and oxidative stress-related pathways, gastrointestinal microbiota alterations, and some cognitive decline postflight. Although average telomere length, global gene expression, and microbiome changes returned to near preflight levels within 6 months after return to Earth, increased numbers of short telomeres were observed and expression of some genes was still disrupted. These multiomic, molecular, physiological, and behavioral datasets provide a valuable roadmap of the putative health risks for future human spaceflight.

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U2 - 10.1126/science.aau8650

DO - 10.1126/science.aau8650

M3 - Article

C2 - 30975860

AN - SCOPUS:85064686347

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 364

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6436

M1 - eaau8650

ER -

The NASA twins study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight

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UN SDGs

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