Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis Reveals Exercise-Induced Transcriptional Dynamics in Half-Marathon Runners
Laura Veschetti1,2, Cristina Patuzzo3, Mirko Treccani4
1Infections and Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|January 16, 2025
Summary
Endurance running, like a half-marathon, significantly alters immune cell gene expression, impacting stress response, viral processes, immune activation, and coagulation. This research enhances understanding of exercise immunology.
Area of Science:
- Exercise immunology
- Sports science
- Genomics
Background:
- Regular exercise benefits health, but endurance sport effects on immune dynamics are unclear.
- High-intensity exercise immune modulation remains a key research debate.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate transcriptional changes in immune cells after a half-marathon.
- Utilize single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
- Explore the impact of endurance exercise on immune cell gene expression.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing of blood samples from amateur runners before and after a half-marathon.
- Analysis of transcriptional dynamics in myeloid cells, lymphoid cells, and platelets.
- Pseudo-bulk analysis to complement single-cell findings.
Main Results:
- Significant transcriptional alterations observed in immune cells post-exercise.
- Myeloid cells showed stress response and viral process pathway activation.
- Lymphoid cells indicated immune activation, and platelets showed coagulation pathway activation.
Conclusions:
- Half-marathon running induces substantial immune cell transcriptional changes.
- Pseudo-bulk analysis provides complementary insights to single-cell data.
- Findings advance understanding of exercise-induced immune modulation for training and nutrition.
