Inflammatory profile changes in response to acute endurance exercise from NULISAseq-based detection of analytes in dried blood spot specimens from half marathon participants

Microsampling techniques, particularly dried blood spots (DBS), offer a minimally invasive alternative to venipuncture for biomarker profiling in endurance exercise. This study leverages NULISAseq, an ultra-sensitive proteomics platform, to analyze inflammatory responses in athletes participating in a half-marathon. A cohort of six individuals—three endurance athletes and three sedentary controls—underwent longitudinal blood collection at five timepoints: pre-run (R-7, R-1), mid-run (R), and post-run (R+1, R+7). DBS samples were processed using the NULISAseq 250-plex Inflammation Panel to quantify inflammatory biomarkers.

Principal component analysis revealed a significant inflammatory shift in athletes during the run, with a 3.9-fold greater proteomic change than controls. Trend analysis identified key inflammatory markers, including IL-6, TNFRSF8, and VEGFD, with individualized response patterns suggesting distinct recovery profiles. Furthermore, Inflammation Age increased transiently in athletes post-run, indicating acute immune activation. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of field-based proteomics using DBS and highlight potential biomarkers for exercise-induced stress and recovery, which underscores the potential of high-throughput proteomics in optimizing training and recovery strategies for athletes.