Markers of Tissue Deterioration and Pain on Earth and in Space

Purpose: Pain is an understudied physiological effect of spaceflight. Changes in inflammatory and tissue degradation markers are often associated with painful conditions. Our aim was to evaluate the changes in markers associated with tissue deterioration after a short-term spaceflight.

Patients and methods: Plasma levels of markers for systemic inflammation and tissue degeneration markers were assessed in two astronauts before and within 24 h after the 17-day Axiom Space AX-1 mission.

Results: After the spaceflight, C-reactive protein (CRP) was reduced in both astronauts, while INFγ, GM-CSF, TNFα, BDNF, and all measured interleukins were consistently increased. Chemokines demonstrated variable changes, with consistent positive changes in CCL3, 4, 8, 22 and CXCL8, 9, 10, and consistent negative change in CCL8. Markers associated with tissue degradation and bone turnover demonstrated consistent increases in MMP1, MMP13, NTX and OPG, and consistent decreases in MMP3 and MMP9.

Conclusion: Spaceflight induced changes in the markers of systemic inflammation, tissue deterioration, and bone resorption in two astronauts after a short, 17-day, which were often consistent with those observed in painful conditions on Earth. However, some differences, such as a consistent decrease in CRP, were noted. All records for the effect of space travel on human health are critical for improving our understanding of the effect of this unique environment on humans.