A Genome-Wide Association Study of Sprint Performance in Elite Youth Football Players.

Pickering, C, Suraci, B, Semenova, EA, Boulygina, EA, Kostryukova, ES, Kulemin, NA, Borisov, OV, Khabibova, SA, Larin, AK, Pavlenko, AV, Lyubaeva, EV, Popov, DV, Lysenko, EA, Vepkhvadze, TF, Lednev, EM, Leonska-Duniec, A, Pajak, B, Chycki, J, Moska, W, Lulinska-Kuklik, E, Dornowski, M, Maszczyk, A, Bradley, B, Kana-ah, A, Cieszczyk, P, Generozov, EV, and Ahmetov, II. A genome-wide association study of sprint performance in elite youth football players. J Strength Cond Res 33(9): 2344-2351, 2019-Sprint speed is an important component of football performance, with teams often placing a high value on sprint and acceleration ability. The aim of this study was to undertake the first genome-wide association study to identify genetic variants associated with sprint test performance in elite youth football players and to further validate the obtained results in additional studies. Using micro-array data (600 K-1.14 M single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) of 1,206 subjects, we identified 12 SNPs with suggestive significance after passing replication criteria. The polymorphism rs55743914 located in the PTPRK gene was found as the most significant for 5-m sprint test (p = 7.7 × 10). Seven of the discovered SNPs were also associated with sprint test performance in a cohort of 126 Polish women, and 4 were associated with power athlete status in a cohort of 399 elite Russian athletes. Six SNPs were associated with muscle fiber type in a cohort of 96 Russian subjects. We also examined genotype distributions and possible associations for 16 SNPs previously linked with sprint performance. Four SNPs (AGT rs699, HSD17B14 rs7247312, IGF2 rs680, and IL6 rs1800795) were associated with sprint test performance in this cohort. In addition, the G alleles of 2 SNPs in ADRB2 (rs1042713 & rs1042714) were significantly over-represented in these players compared with British and European controls. These results suggest that there is a genetic influence on sprint test performance in footballers, and identifies some of the genetic variants that help explain this influence.

The VEGFA gene and anterior cruciate ligament rupture risk in the Caucasian population.

The aim of the present study was to analyse VEGFA rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963 polymorphisms with susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament rupture (ACLR) in a Polish population. The study included 412 physically active Caucasian participants. The study group consisted of 222 individuals with surgically diagnosed primary ACLR qualified for ligament reconstruction (ACLR group). The control group consisted of 190 apparently healthy participants without any history of ACLR (CON group). Three polymorphisms within the VEGFA (rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963) gene were chosen for investigation due to their significance in the angiogenesis signalling pathway and previous associations with risk of ACLRs. Both single-locus and haplotype-based analyses were conducted. No significant differences in the allele and genotype frequency distributions were noted for the rs699947 and rs1570360 polymorphisms. In contrast, rs2010963 was associated with risk of ACLR in the codominant (p=0.047) and recessive model (p=0.017). In the latter, the CC genotype was overrepresented among individuals with ACL rupture (23.4% vs 14.2%, OR=1.85 [1.11-3.08]). Two VEGFA haplotypes were associated with ACLR under the additive (global score=11.39, p=0.022) and dominant model (global score=11.61, p=0.020). The [C;G;G] haplotype was underrepresented in the ACLR group (52.2% vs. 60.3%), whereas the [C;G;C] haplotype was overrepresented (2.9% vs 0.5%). The results obtained suggest a potential correlation between the VEGFA rs2010963 polymorphism and ACLR risk, suggesting that harbouring this specific C allele may be an unfavourable risk factor for a knee injury in Caucasian participants from Poland.

Are IL1B, IL6 and IL6R Gene Variants Associated with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture Susceptibility?

Cytokines, such as interleukins, are crucial in regulating critical cell signaling pathways as well as being major contributors to inflammatory response and are upregulated during ligament and tendon injuries. The genes encoding key interleukins, such as IL1B and IL6 as well as interleukin receptor IL6R, were chosen as candidate genes for association with soft tissue injuries. The aim of the case-control study was to verify the hypothesis that sequence variants rs1143627, rs16944, rs1800795, rs2228145 in the IL1B, IL6 and IL6R genes are associated with ACL rupture susceptibility in a Polish population. Among four analyzed SNPs, the rs1800795 IL6 gene polymorphism was found to be the only one significantly associated with ACL rupture (p = 0.010, p = 0.022, p = 0.004 for codominant, recessive and overdominant models, respectively; odds ratio = 1.74, 95% CI 1.08-2.81, sex adjusted p = 0.032 for recessive model). With reference to the other analyzed polymorphisms, we failed to show significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies for IL6R rs2228145as well as IL1B rs16944 and rs1143627 (analyzed alone or in haplotype combination) between the ACL rupture group and the healthy control group among Polish participants. Due to the nature of case-control studies, the results of this study need to be confirmed in independent studies with larger sample sizes.

The NOS3 G894T (rs1799983) and -786T/C (rs2070744) polymorphisms are associated with elite swimmer status.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) generates nitric oxide in blood vessels and is involved in the regulation of vascular function, metabolism and muscle fibre type transformations. Evidence suggests that the NOS3 G894T (rs1799983) and -786T/C (rs2070744) polymorphisms are associated with athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the NOS3 G894T and -786T/C polymorphisms with elite swimmer status in Polish athletes. One hundred and ninety-seven Polish swimmers (104 males and 93 females), who competed in national and international events, and 379 healthy control subjects (222 males and 157 females) were recruited for this study. The swimmers were divided into two groups: short distance swimmers (SDS; n=147; 50-200 m) and long distance swimmers (LDS; n=49; more than 500 m). As expected, the frequencies of the -786T/C T allele (77.0 vs. 63.1%, p = 0.0085) and G-T haplotype (63.7 vs. 52.0, p=0.025) were significantly higher in the LDS group in comparison with controls. Compared with the -786T/C CC genotype, the chance of being a long distance swimmer was 8.49 times higher (CI=1.14-62.78, p=0.023) for the carriers of -786T/C T allele than in control subjects. On the other hand, the Asp allele frequency was significantly higher in the female SDS group compared with controls (34.3 vs. 18.5%, p=0.00043). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the T allele and the G-T haplotype of the -786T/C and G894T polymorphisms may be beneficial for long distance swimmers.

ADIPOQ polymorphisms are associated with changes in obesity-related traits in response to aerobic training programme in women.

Among genetic variants of the ADIPOQ gene +276 G>T (rs1501299) and -11377 G>C (rs266729) are the most frequently investigated polymorphisms which were described in the context of genetic conditioning for a predisposition to obesity. However, the information of polymorphisms' potential modifying effect on obesity-related traits achieved through training procedures are still unknown. DNA was extracted from buccal cells donated by the 201 participants and genotyping was carried out using real-time PCR. The genotype distribution was examined in a group of women measured for chosen traits before and after the completion of a 12-week training programme. Our results suggest that the ADIPOQ genotypes analyzed individually or in combination can modulate training-induced body mass measurements changes: after the training programme, carriers of rs1501299 T allele and rs266729 C allele were characterized by a greater reduction in fat mass percentage (FM), fat mass, and body mass. Moreover, the ADIPOQ polymorphisms were associated with changes in lipid profile in response to training. Additionally, we showed three main effects of genotypes for the FM, LDL-C (rs266729), and TBW (rs1501299). Our study indicate that the both polymorphisms are associated with changes in obesity-related traits in response to 12-week aerobic training programme in Caucasian women. From this evidence, it could be concluded that rs1501299 G and rs266728 G variants may be considered as disadvantageous factor in the context of training-induced effects on body mass traits.

AGTR2 and sprint/power performance: a case-control replication study for rs11091046 polymorphism in two ethnicities.

We aimed to replicate, in a specific athletic event cohort (only track and field) and in two different ethnicities (Japanese and East European, i.e. Russian and Polish), original findings showing the association of the angiotensin-II receptor type-2 gene (AGTR2) rs11091046 A>C polymorphism with athlete status. We compared genotypic frequencies of the AGTR2 rs11091046 polymorphism among 282 track and field sprint/power athletes (200 men and 82 women), including several national record holders and Olympic medallists (214 Japanese, 68 Russian and Polish), and 2024 control subjects (842 men and 1182 women) (804 Japanese, 1220 Russian and Polish). In men, a meta-analysis from the two combined cohorts showed a significantly higher frequency of the C allele in athletes than in controls (odds ratio: 1.62, P=0.008, heterogeneity index I 2 =0%). With regard to respective cohorts, C allele frequency was higher in Japanese male athletes than in controls (67.7% vs. 55.9%, P=0.022), but not in Russian/Polish male athletes (61.9% vs. 51.0%, P=0.172). In women, no significant results were obtained by meta-analysis for the two cohorts combination (P=0.850). The AC genotype frequency was significantly higher in Russian/Polish women athletes than in controls (69.2% vs. 42.1%, P=0.022), but not in Japanese women athletes (P=0.226). Our results, in contrast to previous findings, suggested by meta-analysis that the C allele of the AGTR2 rs11091046 polymorphism is associated with sprint/power track and field athlete status in men, but not in women.

Individual Responsiveness to Exercise-Induced Fat Loss and Improvement of Metabolic Profile in Young Women is Associated with Polymorphisms of Adrenergic Receptor Genes.

The effectiveness of physical exercise on fat loss and improvement of aerobic capacity varies considerably between individuals. A strong linkage exists between common allelic variants of the adrenergic receptor genes and weight gain, as well as changes in body composition. Therefore we aimed to check if body composition and metabolic variables were modulated by the ADRB2 (Gly16Arg and Glu27Gln), ADRB3 (Trp64Arg) and ADRA2A (rs553668 G/A) gene polymorphisms in 163 Polish sedentary women (age 19-24; body mass index (BMI) 21.7 ± 0.2 kg·m-2) involved in a 12-week aerobic training program. Only 74.8% of participants lost fat mass. On average, participants lost 5.8 (10.4)% of their relative fat mass with training (range: +28.3 to -63.6%). The improvement of VO2max was significantly greater in women who could lose their fat mass compared to women who were unsuccessful in fat loss (4.5 (5.6)% vs. 1.5 (3.8)%; p = 0.0045). The carriers of a low number (0-3) of obesity-related risk alleles (ADRB2 Gly16, ADRB2 Glu27, ADRA2A rs553668 G) were more successful in fat mass loss compared to the carriers of a high number (5-6) of risk alleles (7.7 (9.8) vs 4.0 (9.4)%, p = 0.0362). The presented results support the assumption that variation within adrenergic receptor genes contributes to interindividual changes of body composition in response to physical exercise.

Are MMP3, MMP8 and TIMP2 gene variants associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture susceptibility?

OBJECTIVES: Anterior cruciate ligament rupture (ACLR) is a common and severe knee injury which typically occurs as a result of sports participation, primarily via a non-contact mechanism. A number of extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors, including genetics, have been identified thus far. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases (TIMPs) play a crucial role in extracellular matrix remodeling of ligaments and therefore the genes encoding MMPs and TIMPs are plausible candidates for investigation with ACL rupture risk. DESIGN: A case-control genetic association study was conducted on 229 (158 male) individuals with surgically diagnosed primary ACLR, ruptured through non-contact mechanisms and 192 (107 male) apparently healthy participants (CON) without any history of ACLR. All participants were physically active, unrelated, self-reported Caucasians. METHODS: All participants were genotyped for four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP): MMP3 (rs591058C/T, rs679620 G/A), MMP8 (rs11225395C/T), and TIMP2 (rs4789932 G/A) using standard PCR assays. Gene-gene interactions were inferred. Single-locus association analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test. SNP-SNP interaction effects were analysed using multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method. RESULTS: Genotype frequencies did not significantly differ between cases and controls, however, the MMP3 rs679620 G and rs591058C alleles were significantly overrepresented in cases compared to controls (p=0.021, OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.81). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the hypothesis that genetic variation within MMP3 contributes to inter-individual susceptibility to non-contact ACLR. However, these results need to be explored further in larger, independent sample sets.

Are TNC gene variants associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture susceptibility?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of inter-individual variations in a particular glycoprotein, TNC, and its potential contribution to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury susceptibility in Polish Caucasian participants. ACL rupture is one of the most prevalent and severe knee injury that predominantly occurs during sports participation, primarily via a non-contact mechanism. Several polymorphisms in genes encoding glycoproteins either independently or as allelic combinations, modulate the risk of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Specifically, the TNC rs1330363 (C>T), rs2104772 (T>A) and rs13321 (G>C) variants, independently or in haplotype combinations, were analysed in this context. DESIGN: Case-control genetic association study. METHODS: A group of 421 physically active, unrelated participants were recruited where 229 individuals with surgically diagnosed primary ACL rupture and 192 apparently healthy participants without any history of ACL injuries. Participants were genotyped for the above variants. RESULTS: Genotype and allele frequencies of TNC variants did not differ between cases and controls. Haplotype analysis revealed no association between TNC and predisposition to ACL rupture. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses did not reveal a significant association between these TNC variants and risk of ACL rupture in Polish Caucasian participants.

Polygenic Study of Endurance-Associated Genetic Markers NOS3 (Glu298Asp), BDKRB2 (-9/+9), UCP2 (Ala55Val), AMPD1 (Gln45Ter) and ACE (I/D) in Polish Male Half Marathoners.

The purpose of this study was to investigate individually and in combination the association between the ACE (I/D), NOS3 (Glu298Asp), BDKRB2 (-9/+9), UCP2 (Ala55Val) and AMPD1 (Gln45Ter) variants with endurance performance in a large, performance-homogenous cohort of elite Polish half marathoners. The study group consisted of 180 elite half marathoners: 76 with time < 100 minutes and 104 with time > 100 minutes. DNA of the subjects was extracted from buccal cells donated by the runners and genotyping was carried out using an allelic discrimination assay with a C1000 Touch Thermal Cycler (Bio-Rad, Germany) instrument with TaqMan® probes (NOS3, UCP2, and AMPD1) and a T100™ Thermal Cycler (Bio-Rad, Germany) instrument (ACE and BDKRB2). We found that the UCP2 Ala55Val polymorphism was associated with running performance, with the subjects carrying the Val allele being overrepresented in the group of most successful runners (<100 min) compared to the >100 min group (84.2 vs. 55.8%; OR = 4.23, p < 0.0001). Next, to assess the combined impact of 4 gene polymorphisms, all athletes were classified according to the number of 'endurance' alleles (ACE I, NOS3 Glu, BDKRB2 -9, UCP2 Val) they possessed. The proportion of subjects with a high (4-7) number of 'endurance' alleles was greater in the better half marathoners group compared with the >100 min group (73.7 vs. 51.9%; OR = 2.6, p = 0.0034). These data suggest that the likelihood of becoming an elite half marathoner partly depends on the carriage of a high number of endurance-related alleles.

The polymorphisms of the PPARD gene modify post-training body mass and biochemical parameter changes in women.

In this study we examined the genotype distribution of the PPARD rs2267668, rs2016520, and rs1053049 alleles in a group of women, before and after the completion of a 12-week training program. There were two significant genotype × training interactions resulting in decreases of total cholesterol (Chol) through training in rs2267668 G allele carriers and significant increases of triglyceride (TGL) levels in rs2267668 AA homozygotes. Carriers of rs2016520 PPARD C allele exhibited a significant decrease in Chol through training with an accompanying decrease in TGL. There was also overrepresentation of PPARD rs1053049 TT homozygotes in the group with higher post-training TGL levels. Moreover (rs2267668/rs2016520/rs1053049) G/C/T haplotype displayed smaller post-training body mass decrease, suggesting that harboring this specific G/C/T haplotype is unfavorable for achieving the desired training-induced body mass changes. On the other hand, the G/C/C haplotype was significantly associated with post-training increase in fat free mass (FFM) and with lower levels of Chol as well as TGL as observed in the blood of the participants in response to applied training. This observation constitutes the second important finding of the study, implying that when specific training-induced biochemical changes are taken into account, some individuals may benefit from carrying the G/C/C haplotype.

Interactions between COL5A1 Gene and Risk of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture.

Collagen alpha-1(V) chain, encoded by the COL5A1 gene, plays a crucial role in abundant fibrillar collagens supporting many tissues in the body containing type I collagen and appears to regulate the association between heterotypic fibers composed of both type I and type V collagen occurring among others in muscles, tendons and ligaments. Taking this fact into consideration we decided to examine the association between COL5A1 rs12722 and rs13946 polymorphisms, individually and as inferred haplotypes, with anterior cruciate ligament rupture risk (ACLR) in professional soccer players. A total of 134 male professional soccer players with surgically diagnosed primary anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and 211 apparently healthy male professional soccer players, who were without any self-reported history of ligament or tendon injury, were included in the study. Both the cases and the healthy controls were recruited from the same soccer teams, of a similar age category, and had a comparable level of exposure to anterior cruciate ligament injury. Genomic DNA was extracted from oral epithelial cells using GenElute Mammalian Genomic DNA MiniprepKit. All samples were genotyped for the rs12722 and rs13946 polymorphisms using a Rotor-Gene realtime polymerase chain reaction. Statistically significant differences in the genotype frequencies for the COL5A1 rs13946 polymorphisms in dominant modes of inheritance occurred (p = 0.039). Statistically significant differences were documented only in the dominant model under the representation tendency of the C-C haplotype in the ACLR group compared to controls (p = 0.038). Our results suggest that variation in the COL5A1 gene may be one of the non-modifiable factors associated with the ACL injury in professional soccer players. The C-C rs12722-rs13946 haplotype provides a protective effect against the ACL tear.

Does the MTHFR A1298C Polymorphism Modulate the Cardiorespiratory Response to Training?

The 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) A1298C polymorphic variant is a candidate to explain the individual differences in trainability and response to exercise training. Therefore, the aim of the study was to verify whether the A1298C polymorphism influenced the aerobic and anaerobic performance as well as body and mass composition in young Polish women following low-high impact aerobic exercise training. Two hundred and one women aged 21 ± 1 years (range 19-24) were included in the study. All of them completed a 12-week exercise training program and were measured for selected somatic features, aerobic capacity and cardiorespiratory fitness indices as well as peak anaerobic power and anaerobic capacity, before and after the intervention. A mixed 2 x 2 ANOVA for 20 dependent variables grouped in three categories was conducted. No significant interaction of the genotype with training for body mass and body composition variables was observed. Although, there were three significant genotype x training interactions for maximal oxygen uptake variables, regardless of body mass i.e.: for VO2max (p < 0.05), HRmax (p < 0.0001) and HRAT/HRmax (p < 0.0001). Significantly greater improvement in VO2max was gained by the CC+AC group compared to the AA genotype group. The present results support the hypothesis that individual differences in trainability are at least in part determined by the genetic component and MTHFR A1298C seems to be one of the many polymorphisms involved.