Effects of simulated zero gravity on adhesion, cell structure, proliferation, and growth behavior, in glioblastoma multiforme

Abstract

All life on Earth has evolved under the influence of continuous gravity, and methods have been developed to balance this influence with the biological evolution of organisms at the cellular and system levels. However, when exposed to zero gravity in space, the balance between cell structure and external forces is destroyed, resulting in changes at the cellular level (e.g., cell morphology, adhesion, viability, apoptosis, etc.), and understanding the molecular mechanism of cell response to zero gravity will help to cope with diseases that rely on mechanical response. Therefore, biological research in space and zero gravity is a unique step in developing the best anti-cancer treatments, which is a great challenge to humanity. In this study, multicellular glioma cancer cells from a brain tumor in a 72-year-old Iraqi patient were subjected to simulated zero gravity for 24 h, and the results showed that most of the cells lost their adhesion, which is considered to be the first step toward cell apoptosis. In addition to the formation of multicellular spheroids, the results also showed that the inhibition rate for cell death was 32% in comparison to the control cells. Moreover, the cells showed a clear change in their cellular morphology and growth behavior. These results give new hope for fighting cancer distinctively, and such a treatment method has no side effects in comparison to traditional chemical and radiological ones.