Mouse muscle study compares transcription factor activity in spaceflight, aging and disuse atrophy
In three mouse muscle datasets, a small set of transcription factors changed across spaceflight, aging and disuse atrophy, while most differed by condition. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Three mouse muscle datasets were analyzed: spaceflight versus ground control tibialis anterior, 28- versus 8-month-old gastrocnemius, and ten-day hindlimb unloading versus weight-bearing gastrocnemius. [1]
Of 732 transcription factors scored, 47 were pan-atrophy, 161 partial and 295 condition-specific. [1]
Correlation of transcription factor activity was highest between spaceflight and disuse atrophy and lowest between spaceflight and sarcopenia. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Comparative transcriptomic analysis (abstract)
- Population / context
- Mice: spaceflight versus ground control, 28- versus 8-month-old, and hindlimb-unloaded versus weight-bearing animals.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 1, 2026
Three mouse muscle datasets compared
The analysis used three mouse transcriptomic datasets. One was NASA OSD-576 (Rodent Research-23) tibialis anterior muscle from spaceflight versus ground control animals. A second was GSE145480 gastrocnemius muscle from 28-month-old versus 8-month-old mice, used as a sarcopenia model. The third was GSE273092 gastrocnemius muscle from mice after ten days of hindlimb unloading versus weight-bearing controls, a disuse atrophy model. Gene-level statistics were used to infer transcription factor activity against a mouse regulon of 43,226 factor-target interactions covering 1,165 factors.
Supporting source [1]
Shared and condition-specific regulators in mice
Of 732 transcription factors scored, 47 (6.4%) were classified as pan-atrophy, 161 (22.0%) as partial and 295 (40.3%) as condition-specific. Pan-atrophy regulators included the glucocorticoid receptor Nr3c1, Foxo1, the chromatin remodeller Smarca4 and the stress regulators Pml and Ing4. Stat1 crossed the threshold but showed a sign-discordant pattern: repressed in spaceflight and disuse but activated in sarcopenia. Spaceflight showed repression of Hsf1/Hsf2/Hsf4 and activation of Hdac7; sarcopenia uniquely activated Spi1, Stat5a and Irf2; disuse atrophy uniquely activated Mlxipl and Ovol1.
Supporting source [1]
Correlation patterns and abstract-only scope
The correlation of transcription factor activity profiles was highest between spaceflight and disuse atrophy (r = 0.4573) and lowest between spaceflight and sarcopenia (r = 0.1459). The authors describe a small but biologically coherent set of pan-atrophy regulators dominated by glucocorticoid and FoxO signaling, alongside a larger pool of condition-specific regulators. These are inferred transcription factor activities from mouse transcriptomic data, not measured protein activity or human outcomes. Only the abstract was reviewed; the full text was not reviewed, so methods and limitations beyond the abstract are unknown.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. Findings are inferred transcription factor activities from mouse transcriptomic datasets, not measured protein activity or human outcomes.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Shah N. · europepmc.org · October 1, 2026