Abstract

Simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions have been shown to inhibit development of zebrafish larvae and have resulted in changes in gene expression. We sought to determine if SMG affects the development of melanocytes, the pigmented cell type implicated in melanoma. Transgenic GNAQ^Q209L zebrafish have a hyperactive point mutation in a Gα protein in melanocytes. This may change the effect of SMG on melanocytes during normal and potentially cancerous development. We exposed transgenic and wild type zebrafish to SMG to analyze pigmentation development during the first 6 days of life. We asked if SMG would cause a change in the percent pigmentation in zebrafish. Embryonic zebrafish were put into either an enclosed container and placed on a rotator, or put into a petri dish at day zero. One to three zebrafish were removed daily and imaged until 6 days post-fertilization. We found no significant difference between the SMG and control conditions in both transgenic and wild type zebrafish. This indicates that the melanocytes are either unaffected by the SMG or able to recover from the stress. Future research with this model may lead to a better understanding of melanocyte signaling and recovery in diseases where melanocytes are hyperproliferative, such as melanoma. This research may also help scientists understand if humans are more susceptible to developing diseases in microgravity conditions, such as long-term spaceflight.