Label-free study of cosmonaut's urinary proteome changes after long-duration spaceflights

Abstract

During the entire time that cosmonauts stay on board the international space station, different extreme space flight factors affect their bodies. In order to find out what physiological changes occur under the influence of spaceflight, different parameters of the human body before and after flights are monitored. Analysis of the urine proteome is one of the most perspective non-invasive methods of condition monitoring. The aim of the study was to perform a comparative semi-quantitative label-free urine proteome analysis of samples collected from 21 cosmonauts before and after long-duration spaceflight at the international space station. For proteomic analysis, urine samples were collected from cosmonauts at three time periods: six months prior to the flight as a background, and on days 1 and 7 of the recovery period after landing. All probes were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and 256 proteins were identified with more than one unique peptide. The core proteome consists of 50 proteins that are detected in more than 70% of the samples. Label-free semi-quantitative analysis enables us to find 20 proteins which were significantly changed on +1 day and +7 day with respect to background. Most of these proteins participate in the regulation of biological processes, in the regulation of the immune system and in intracellular processes also; some of these proteins are related with stress and response to stimulus. In conclusion, the proteomic analysis of cosmonauts' urine samples provides new data on the human body's adaptation to ground conditions after long-duration spaceflight.

Proteome Profiling of the Exhaled Breath Condensate after Long-Term Spaceflights

“…Previously we showed that overexpression of stress- or stimulus-associated proteins can be detected in urine on the 1st day after landing [13]. Most of the urine significant proteins that are associated with stress factors returns to its preflight levels up to the 7th day.…”

“…Blood and urine are the primary traditional subjects for the screening of physiological changes associated both with various diseases, and with extreme conditions or environmental factors [13,14]. However, the proteome of these samples collected in space cannot be analyzed in short time, and long-term storage significantly reduces their nativeness.…”

Translating current biomedical therapies for long duration, deep space missions

“…The main concerns with radiation are pathological vascular changes, genetic mutations, immune dysfunction, and cancer 4 , 5 , 10 . Epidemiological studies have suggested a latent relationship between radiation exposure and cardiovascular disease, 6–9 as well as with clonal hematopoiesis, 11 and physiologic studies in mice have shown long-lasting changes in cardiomyocyte gene expression and cellular signaling.…”

“…Renal proteins serving as biomarkers of electrolyte regulation were altered, likely because of the fluid shifts that occur, overall decrease in plasma volume, and increased intake of salt additives. One study examining astronaut urinary proteome found that three proteins, glucosidase alpha acid (GAA), heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG2), and alanyl aminopeptidase (ANPEP), do not return to baseline levels post-spaceflight, possibly correlating to changes in cytoskeletal reorganization, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix reorganization, and some features of hormone metabolism 5 . Additional proteomic changes that have been detected include increased production of cytokines (and cortisol), 22 changes in regulators of aerobic metabolism, and decrease in muscle and bone protein metabolism 18 , 23 …”

Systems biology research at BGRS-2018

“…Functional analysis of identified protein biomarkers highlighted many molecules contributing to vascular rigidity. Interested reader should also peruse the previous studies published by the same group, which also investigated the changes in urine proteome detected after spaceflight [14, 15].…”