The CORM experiment involves the investigation of Coenzyme Q10 as countermeasures for retinal lesion induced by radiations and microgravity inside the ISS. It will improve the understanding of the impact that radiations and microgravity have on cultured human retinal cells, and will clarify the protective effects of Coenzyme Q10 via its well known antioxidant and recent discovered anti apoptotic properties.
The Principal Investigator (PI) is Dr. Matteo Lulli of the University of Florence. The Payload Developer (PD) is Kayser Italia S.r.l.
Human retinal cells will be planted in a Experiment Unit (EU) placed inside the Experiment Container (EC). The EU will be placed in a Transportation Container (Biokit), which will provide passive temperature control. The Biokit will be transported on the ISS and then the ECs will be put inside the ESA controlled-temperature incubator “KUBIK” already on-board the station. The EU will ensure optimal cell culture conditions, including the automatic replacement of the culture medium at set times and the fixation at the end of the experiment. Some cells contained in the EU will be treated with CoQ10, other will be stored without treatment, to be able to verify the effectiveness in inhibiting the resulting damage to their stay on the ISS. After returning to Earth, the cells will be recovered from the EU in order to evaluate the following effects known to be produced by radiation and microgravity: (1) apoptosis, (2) damage to the cytoskeleton, (3) DNA damage, (4) alteration of gene expression.
External links:
- Il coenzima Q10 (CoQ10) come contromisura antiapoptotica per lesioni retiniche indotte da radiazioni e microgravità nella ISS: esperimento su cellule retiniche in coltura (CORM) (Italian) – ASI
- The Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as an Antiapoptotic Countermeasure for Retinal Lesions Induced by Radiation and Microgravity on the ISS: Experiment on Cultured Retinal Cells (CORM) – NASA
- ASITV – CORM (Italian)