The presence of NRF2 (AG/GG) and ACE II genotypes was significantly associated with the elite soccer player phenotype, increasing the probability of being a professional soccer player by three times.
Case-Control (n=120)
Do specific genetic polymorphisms (PEPs) associate with the elite soccer player phenotype compared to healthy volunteers?
Specific genetic polymorphisms in the NRF2 and ACE genes are significantly associated with the elite soccer player phenotype, highlighting the role of genetic background in athletic performance.
Estimación del efecto: OR 3
valor p: p=0.02
The purpose of this study was to determine the probability of soccer players having the best genetic background that could increase performance, evaluating the polymorphism that are considered Performance Enhancing Polymorphism (PEPs) distributed on five genes: PPARα, PPARGC1A, NRF2, ACE e CKMM. Particularly, we investigated how each polymorphism works directly or through another polymorphism to distinguish elite athletes from non-athletic population. Sixty professional soccer players (age 22.5 ± 2.2) and sixty healthy volunteers (age 21.2± 2.3) were enrolled. Samples of venous blood was used to prepare genomic DNA. The polymorphic sites were scanned using PCR-RFLP protocols with different enzyme. We used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to demonstrate an association between the five PEPs and elite phenotype. We found statistical significance in NRF2 (AG/GG genotype) polymorphism/soccer players association (p < 0.05) as well as a stronger association in ACE polymorphism (p =0.02). Particularly, we noticed that the ACE ID genotype and even more the II genotype are associated with soccer player phenotype. Although the other PEPs had no statistical significance, we proved that some of these may work indirectly, amplifying the effect of another polymorphism; for example, seems that PPARα could acts on NRF2 (GG) enhancing the effect of the latter, notwithstanding it had not shown a statistical significance. In conclusion, to establish if a polymorphism can influence the performance, it is necessary to understand how they act and interact, directly and indirectly, on each other.
Contrò et al. (Thu,) conducted a case-control in Elite athletic performance (n=120). NRF2 (AG/GG) and ACE II genotypes vs. Sedentary controls was evaluated on Elite soccer player phenotype (OR 3, p=0.02). The presence of NRF2 (AG/GG) and ACE II genotypes was significantly associated with the elite soccer player phenotype, increasing the probability of being a professional soccer player by three times.