Proteomic Signatures Related to Physical Activity Are Associated with Risks of Future Disease

Physical activity (PA) can lower the risk of developing chronic diseases. However, few studies have examined the proteomic signatures linked to PA, and the role of these signatures in the connection between PA levels and future disease risk remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether proteomic signatures indicative of PA are associated with the risk of developing common chronic diseases and to explore their role as statistical links in the relationship between PA levels and disease development.

We used data from a subcohort of UK Biobank participants. PA intensity data were collected from accelerometers worn by each participant. Plasma proteomics results were obtained through Olink analysis. The risks of developing each primary chronic disease were evaluated for types of PA and their associated proteomic signatures, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and key measurement time-lag covariates.

Based on the UK Biobank, we identified significant differences among the proteomic signatures of accelerometer-measured light PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, and total PA. The main enriched pathways of these proteomic signatures included cell adhesion, cell migration, and immune response. Higher levels of accelerometer-measured PA and their associated proteomic signatures correlated with a lower risk of developing cardiometabolic disorders, cancers, psychological or neurological disorders, and respiratory diseases.

Our findings show that PA and PA-related proteomic signatures are statistically associated with lower risks of chronic diseases. Further analyses identified proteins that were correlated with both PA and disease risk. These results need to be confirmed through longitudinal studies involving diverse populations.