J-1 before the NeuronGrav flights! Starting tomorrow, our glider based at Saint-Hubert airport (Belgium) will operate parabolic flights as part of the NeuronGrav (Neuronal responses in altered Gravity) experiment. With this project, our main goal is to characterize how neuronal cells are affected by microgravity, and how they adapt following parabolic flights.
Previous studies have demonstrated possible effects of short periods of exposure to microgravity in neurons, including modulation in neuronal plasticity, changes in neurite network, neuron morphology and viability, and induced autophagy through mitochondrial dysfunction, followed by fast recovery processes.
But these observations have only been obtained using Random Positioning Machine (RPM) or clinostats: Our main contribution will be to reproduce these observed effects during parabolic flights performed with a glider. The LIDE custom framework will host an incubator and several cell lines during several parabolas. These cells will then be compared to control neurons, which will stay on the ground and not be exposed to altered gravity.
Different metrics will be compared between both groups, including cellular viability and toxicity, cytoskeletal alterations, and quick onset biochemical alterations. To perform these analyses, we received the support of the laboratory of Prof. Charles Nicaise, from the University of Namur.
Charles Nicaise is Assistant Professor at the University of Namur, teaching General and Organ Histology at the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Sciences. He is also Group Leader at LNR – Laboratoire Neurodégénérescence et Régénération, member of URPhyM Research Unit and NARILIS. The activities of his team are focused on the role of glial cells and glutamate transporters in CNS disorders such as osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) and spinal cord injuries. They graciously accepted to open up the doors of their lab, and to help us perform the pre-flight cells growth and the post-flight analyses.
