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Intake of Fish and Omega-3 (N-3) Fatty Acid: Effect on Humans during Actual and Simulated WeightlessnessSpace flight has many negative effects on human physiology, including bone and muscle loss. These are some of the systems on which intakes of fish and n-3 fatty acids have positive effects. These effects are likely to occur through inhibition of inflammatory cytokines (such as TNFalpha) and thus inhibition of downstream NF-KB activation. We documented this effect in a 3D cell culture model, where NF-KB activation in osteoclasts was inhibited by eicosapentaenoic acid, an n-3 fatty acid. We have extended these studies and report here (a) NF-KB expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Space Shuttle crews on 2-wk missions, (b) the effects of n-3 fatty acid intake after 60 d of bed rest (a weightlessness analog), and (c) the effects of fish intake in astronauts after 4 to 6 mo on the International Space Station. After Shuttle flights of ~2 wk, NFKB p65 expression at landing was increased (P less than 0.001). After 60 d of bed rest, higher intake of n-3 fatty acids was associated with less N-telopeptide excretion (Pearson r = -0.62, P less than 0.05). Higher consumption of fish during flight was associated with higher bone mineral density (Pearson r = -0.46, P less than 0.05). Together with our earlier findings, these data provide mechanistic cellular and preliminary human evidence of the potential for n-3 fatty acids to counteract bone loss associated with spaceflight. This study was supported by the NASA Human Research Program.
Document ID
20090040382
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Smith, Scott M.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Mehta, Satish K.
(Enterprise Advisory Services, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Pierson, Duane L.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Zwart, Sara R.
(Universities Space Research Association Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2009
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-19278
Meeting Information
Meeting: Experimental Biology Meeting of 2010
Location: Anaheim, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: April 24, 2010
End Date: April 28, 2010
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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