L.Kh. Pastushkova1, A.G. Goncharova2, D.N. Kashirina3, I.M. Larina4

1–4 State Research Center of the Russian Federation – Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia)

1 lpastushkova@mail.ru, 2 goncharova.anna@gmail.com, 3 daryakudryavtseva@mail.ru, 4 irina.larina@gmail.com

The vascular endothelium plays a fundamental role in maintaining vascular homeostasis, including through its antithrombotic properties, and is an important modulator of many physiological properties of the vascular wall. Analysis of scientific literature in this area reveals changes in the pathways of endothelial activation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in cell culture models and biological samples of urine and blood plasma from spaceflight participants and ground-based model studies. However, the available literature lacks data on the prevalence of biological processes associated with the functional state of the endothelium during long-duration spaceflights.

The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamics of the prevalence of biological processes functionally associated with the vascular endothelium in the proteome of dried blood spots from astronauts.

Using ANDvisio software, the relationship between significantly increased proteins and their involvement in the regulation of biological processes associated with the state of the endothelium during spaceflights was analyzed. Thus, protein groups and the key biological processes in which they participate were identified. On day 7 and month 3 of the spaceflight, multidirectional changes in processes were observed: endothelial cell apoptosis, endothelial cell activation, and endothelial cell proliferation. According to the ANDvisio program, the specific process on day 7 of the spaceflight is the enosine-dependent pathway; however, it involves only one protein, Caveolae-associated protein 2, which is not involved in other endothelial processes. For the third month, three biological processes were specific: endothelial cell morphogenesis, negative regulation of endothelial cell proliferation, and endothelial tube lumen extension; however, according to the ANDvisio program, only one protein is involved in each. No processes specific to vascular endothelial function were detected on month 6 of the flight. Based on the obtained results of the blood proteome study, it can be assumed that a steady state of adaptation of endothelial functions during long-duration flight occurs between months 3 and 6.

The data obtained provided provides information for the development of methods and means for the prevention of endothelial dysfunction, as well as the current period of their use in cosmonauts. Furthermore, they will contribute to improving the system for assessing the health of cosmonauts in the post-flight period.

Pastushkova L.Kh., Goncharova A.G., Kashirina D.N., Larina I.M. Dynamics of the Representation of Biological Processes Functionally Associated with Vascular Endothelium in the Proteome of Cosmonauts' Dried Blood Spots. Technologies of Living Systems. 2026. V. 23. № 1. Р. 5-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j20700997-202601-01 (In Russian).

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