Gene-metabolite network linked to inhibited bioenergetics in association with spaceflight induced loss of quadriceps muscle

Under the Rodent Research Program of NASA, we assayed the genomic and metabolomics perturbations in the quadriceps of C57BL/6J male mice that lived on the spaceflight (FLT) or at Ground Control (CTR) for approximately four weeks. Wet weight of quadriceps were significantly reduced in FLT mice.

Deep next generation sequencing and untargeted mass spectroscopic assay interrogated the gene-metabolite landscape of same tissues. A majority of top ranked differentially suppressed genes in FLT encode proteins from myosin or troponin family suggesting a sarcomere alteration in space. Significantly enriched gene-metabolite networks were found linked to saromeric integrity, immune fitness and oxidative stress response; all inhibited in space as per in silico prediction.