Global gene expression analysis highlights microgravity sensitive key genes in longissimus dorsi and tongue of 30 days space-flown mice

Microgravity as well as chronic muscle disuse are two causes of low back pain originated at least in part from paraspinal muscle deconditioning. At present no study investigated the complexity of the molecular changes in human or mouse paraspinal muscles exposed to microgravity. The aim of this study was to evaluate longissimus dorsi and tongue (as a new potential in-flight negative control) adaptation to microgravity at global gene expression level. C57BL/N6 male mice were flown aboard the BION-M1 biosatellite for 30 days (BF) or housed in a replicate flight habitat on ground (BG). . Global gene expression analysis identified 89 transcripts differentially regulated in longissimus dorsi of BF vs. BG mice (False Discovery Rrate < 0,05 and fold change < -2 and > +2), while only a small number of genes were found differentially regulated in tongue muscle ( BF vs. BG = 27 genes).

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Gambara G, Salanova M, Ciciliot S, Furlan S, Gutsmann M, Schiffl G, Ungethuem U, Volpe P, Gunga HC, Blottner D