Changes in urine protein composition in human organism during long term space flights

The urine protein composition samples of six Russian cosmonauts (male, aged 35–51) who performed long flight missions that varied from 169 to 199 days on the International Space Station (ISS) were analyzed using chromate-mass-spectrometric analysis. The direct shaping of samples was carried out with preliminary cleaning and the protein concentration from experiment participants urine was determined with the aid of MB-HIC C8 (“Bruker Daltonics”) magnetic particles set with the subsequent MALDI-TOF mass-spectrometric analysis on Autoflex III TOF/TOF (Bruker Daltonics) mass spectrometer operating in the positive linear mode. Also, the analysis of samples with the use of the method of precise mass markers and their elution time from the chromatographic column was done as well as further identification of proteins by MS–MS peptide spectrum based on the Mascot search system. The results of the implemented research made it possible to obtain new data necessary for genesis changes clarifying those which occur in the human organism under the action space flight factors.

► We analyzed the urine proteome composition of Russian cosmonauts.
► They performed long flight missions on the ISS.
► We discovered distinguishing changes in proteins' composition.
► We analyzed these changes pre- and after space flight.
► It is possible to obtain new data of action space flight factors.