ICMRS Scientific Frontier Webinar Series
Abnormal Iron Metabolism Involved in Bone Remodeling in Space Environments
Presented by Peng Shang, Ph.D.
Professor, Research & Development Institute in Shenzhen
Northwestern Polytechnical University, China
Note: Webinar will begin at 10am on Sunday in China
When: November 7, 2020 (Saturday) 9:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
November 7, 2020 (Saturday) 8:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
2020年11月8日（星期日）北京时间上午10:00 （中国）
November 8, 2020 (Sunday) 10:00 AM Perth (Australia - Western Australia)
November 8, 2020 (Sunday) 1:00 AM Sydney (Australia - New South Wales)
Where: click here to view the recorded webinar.
Short Biography: Dr. Peng Shang is a professor in the Research & Development Institute in Shenzhen of Northwestern Polytechnical University, and the founding dean, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University. Dr. Shang is a member of International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the life-time member of International Chinese Musculoskeletal Research Society (ICMRS), Executive Board of Chinese Society of Space Research, and vice director of committee of Space Life Science. Dr. Shang’s major research interests focuses on investigating the molecular and cellular mechanism of bone loss during space environments including weightlessness, radiation, hypomagnetic field and their combined effects on cells and model animals. He investigated the biological effects of different high, moderate and low magnetic fields, and developed countermeasures for the astronauts in space and the people on the ground. In recent years, he began to study the iron metabolism in bone remodeling in space condition and the also the iron metabolism and ferroptosis of osteosarcoma.
Abstract: With the launch of the Chinese moon and mars space program, in the future long-term space flight, astronauts will inevitably be exposed to the space environments. Hypomagnetic field (HyMF), microgravity and cosmic radiation in the space environment are the risk factors to astronauts’ health in space exploration. Iron is an essential trace element related with hemoglobin formation, oxidative stress, cell proliferation and growth. Also, iron is indispensable to the development and remodeling of bone. But excessive iron in serum, tissues and cells result in the oxidative stress and some negative biological effects. As for bone remodeling, in vitro studies revealed that excessive iron inhibited osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, and promoted osteoclast formation and bone resorption. Data from laboratory and clinic showed that iron overload is closed to osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Astronauts suffered severe bone loss and iron overload in serum after long-term spaceflight in outer space environment. Experimentally, hindlimb unloading-induced bone loss in rodent was also associated with iron overload. Recently, we demonstrated that HyMF promoted additional bone loss in hindlimb unloading-induced mice, and the underlying mechanism involved in the increase of organs’ iron storage. Iron chelator deferoxamine mesylate (DFO) decreased the iron content in the bone, liver and spleen, and significantly relieved unloading-induced bone loss under HyMF reloading. HyMF inhibits osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, promote osteoclast formation and bone resorption in vitro. In addition, we also found that iron storage was increased in irradiated mice. Previous research found that bone loss induced by ionizing radiation is related to the enhanced bone resorption due to increased iron level in the body. Lowering iron storage by DFO or hepcidin partly reverses the radiation-induced bone loss. These results provide a better understanding of the role of the space environments -induced bone loss, and reveal a new perspective for the countermeasure of astronauts’ bone loss after spaceflight.
This webinar will be moderated by Dr. Youjia Xu, Professor of Department of Orthopedics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Osteoporosis Institute of Soochow University in Suzhou.
If you are not able to attend ICMRS webinars, you are welcome to click here for recorded videos from ICMRS Scientific Frontier Webinar Series.
For more information, please contact:
Jean Jiang, PhD
Chair, Education Committee, ICMRS
Professor and Zachry Distinguished University Chair
Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Email: icmrs@icmrs.net
