With increased human presence in space, bone loss and fractures will occur. Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a recently patented bone healing agent. Here, we investigated the systemic effects of TPO on mice subjected to spaceflight and sustaining a bone fracture. Forty, 9-week-old, male, C57BL/6 J were divided into 4 groups: (1) Saline+Earth; (2) TPO + Earth; (3) Saline+Flight; and (4) TPO + Flight (n = 10/group). Saline- and TPO-treated mice underwent a femoral defect surgery, and 20 mice were housed in space (“Flight”) and 20 mice on Earth for approximately 4 weeks. With the exception of the calvarium and incisor, positive changes were observed in TPO-treated, spaceflight bones, suggesting TPO may improve osteogenesis in the absence of mechanical loading. Thus, TPO, may serve as a new bone healing agent, and may also improve some skeletal properties of astronauts, which might be extrapolated for patients on Earth with restraint mobilization and/or are incapable of bearing weight on their bones.

随着人类在太空中的存在增加，将会发生骨质流失和骨折。血小板生成素 (TPO) 是最近获得专利的骨愈合剂。在这里，我们研究了 TPO 对经历太空飞行并遭受骨折的小鼠的全身影响。四十岁，9 周大，男性，C57BL/6 J 分为 4 组：（1）盐水+土；(2) TPO+地球；(3) 生理盐水+飞行；(4) TPO + 航班 ( n = 10/组）。盐水和 TPO 处理的小鼠接受了股骨缺损手术，20 只小鼠在太空（“飞行”）中饲养，20 只小鼠在地球上饲养大约 4 周。除了颅骨和切牙外，在 TPO 处理的航天骨骼中观察到积极的变化，这表明 TPO 可以在没有机械负荷的情况下改善成骨作用。因此，TPO 可以作为一种新的骨愈合剂，还可以改善宇航员的某些骨骼特性，这可能适用于地球上进行约束活动和/或无法在其骨骼上承重的患者。