Aptamer-based analyses of plasma proteome in individuals with post-COVID condition who underwent tailored physical activity.

Introduction: Post-COVID condition (PCC) encompasses a spectrum of clinical symptoms affecting multiple organs that persist for >3 months after resolution of the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. The complex nature of PCC symptoms makes it difficult to decipher the mechanistic basis of disease and establish efficient pharmacological interventions. However, non-pharmacological approaches such as personalized physical exercise regimen has been shown to improve the quality of life in PCC patients. Among the non-pharmacological interventions for PCC, physical rehabilitation, especially symptom-titrated physical exercise, has shown promise in restoring the quality of life but the underlying mechanisms are not yet elucidated. This personalized approach adjusts the physical training intensity according to patient's ability and tolerance levels. Methods: We had observed that individuals with PCC showed significant improvement following tailored physical exercise. Here the plasma samples obtained before and after the intervention was analyzed for a preselected panel of 1500 markers by SomaScan assay. Results: Proteins differentially expressed between the exercise and no-exercise groups suggest that the tailored exercise training drives distinct proteomic signatures involved in immune, vascular and oxidative stress pathways. Discussion: Despite the low sample numbers, our results indicate that the tailored exercise regimen resulted in significant alterations in biological pathways associated with PCC.