HIIT and Pregnancy: Proteomic Insights into Metabolic and Immune Adaptations

ABSTRACT: Physical activity is essential for maternal health during pregnancy, with WHO guidelines recommending 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Despite the established benefits, only 35% of pregnant women meet these guidelines, often due to fatigue, lack of time, and pregnancy discomfort. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), characterized by short bursts of intense exercise followed by recovery periods, offers a time-efficient alternative that has been shown to be safe and enjoyable for both mother and fetus. This study aims to analyze the changes induced by a HIIT program in the urine proteome of pregnant women using the SWATH-MS technique, providing insights into molecular processes influenced by exercise.We observed significant alterations in the urinary proteome after a single HIIT session, with a higher scale of differentially expressed proteins compared to after 8 weeks of regular HIIT training. Notable changes included proteins involved in calcium ion binding, enzyme inhibitory activity, and immune system pathways, particularly neutrophil degranulation. Proteins such as ARSA, NPC2, MME, and CD177 showed significant regulation, indicating metabolic adaptations and immune responses. The observed downregulation of proteins like TFF2, associated with insulin resistance, suggests potential benefits of HIIT in preventing gestational diabetes.Our findings demonstrate that while a single session of HIIT induces immediate metabolic and immune changes, regular HIIT leads to adaptations, reflected in a decreased number of altered proteins over time. This research provides a novel proteomic perspective on the impact of HIIT during pregnancy, underscoring its potential to improve maternal health through targeted metabolic and immune system adaptations. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore the long-term benefits of HIIT for pregnant women.

INSTRUMENT(S):

ORGANISM(S): Homo Sapiens (human)

TISSUE(S): Urine

SUBMITTER: Dominika Goik  

LAB HEAD: dr. hab. Paulina Czaplewska, prof. UG

PROVIDER: PXD053973 | Pride | 2025-11-17

REPOSITORIES: Pride