biostudies-literatureAndonian BJNIDDK NIH HHSNIA NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIAMS NIH HHSNIH HHSMarie Curie7450https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9076829biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) T cells drive autoimmune features via metabolic reprogramming that reduces oxidative metabolism. Exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., systemic oxidative metabolism) and thus may impact RA T cell oxidative metabolic function. In this pilot study of RA participants, we took advantage of heterogeneous responses to a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise program to identify relationships between improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness with changes in peripheral T cell and skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism. In 12 previously sedentary persons with seropositive RA, maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests, fasting blood, and vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained before and after 10 weeks of HIIT. Following HIIT, improvements in RA cScientific reportsRheumatoid arthritis T cell and muscle oxidative metabolism associate with exercise-induced changes in cardiorespiratory fitness.PMC9076829R03 AG067949PIOF-GA-2013-629981R21 AR076663R01 DK089312R03-AG067949R21-AR076663R01-DK089312Hauser ERMuoio DMKoss AAndonian BJPober DMHubal MJMacIver NJKoves TRLord JMBartlett DBSt Clair EWKraus WEHuffman KMfalseRheumatoid arthritis T cell and muscle oxidative metabolism associate with exercise-induced changes in cardiorespiratory fitness.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) T cells drive autoimmune features via metabolic reprogramming that reduces oxidative metabolism. Exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., systemic oxidative metabolism) and thus may impact RA T cell oxidative metabolic function. In this pilot study of RA participants, we took advantage of heterogeneous responses to a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise program to identify relationships between improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness with changes in peripheral T cell and skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism. In 12 previously sedentary persons with seropositive RA, maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests, fasting blood, and vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained before and after 10 weeks of HIIT. Following HIIT, improvements in RA c2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 May2026-05-31T09:48:01.343Z2025-04-05T15:22:54.483ZS-EPMC90768293552382110.1038/s41598-022-11458-4