A systems immunology approach to the immune system’s competition for energy with acute physical exercise in elite athletes 2904

Description Exercise training has the ability to modulate the immune system and its activation state, promoting recovery from disease and injury and re-balancing inflammatory processes in a cross-talk manner. However, it remains unclear how athletes prioritize and allocate energy resources between immune system function and high-performance physical activity. 36 elite athletes from the Swedish and Lithuanian Olympic and national teams were recruited and grouped by their athletic specialization. Peripheral blood was collected pre- and post-(post, 30m, 1h, 2h) training, with PAXgene and cytodelics-stabilized samples created and plasma isolated. Additionally, whole blood was stimulated with LPS, IAV, or BCG for 22 hours, followed by conservation as above. Samples were analyzed via RNA sequencing, Olink proteomics, and 42-marker panel spectral flow cytometry. Amongst others, pathway analysis showed that following IAV stimulation, the B cell surface signature pathway decreased post-exercise vs. pre-exercise, while exercise alone had an up-regulatory effect. Similarly, following LPS stimulation, the interferon-alpha response increased post-exercise, whereas exercise alone showed a down-regulatory effect. These findings suggest opposing trajectories for the two interventions, with stimulation potentially reversing acute exercise effects. Systems-level multi-omics analyses of immunomodulatory interventions can highlight complex interactions and immune system dynamics in the competition for energy. Funding Sources This research was supported by grant P2024-0117 from the Swedish Research Council for Sport Science (CIF) and a grant from the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK). Topic Categories Computational and Systems Immunology (COMP)