Could single nucleotide polymorphisms influence on the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of sport injuries?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a new powerful biological tool in sports medicine, when used to treat tendon, ligament and muscle injuries. PRP is a fraction of autologous whole blood containing an increased number of platelets and a wide variety of cytokines that can improve and accelerate the healing of various tissues. An analysis of the literature shows promising pre-clinical results for PRP treatment, but there is a lack of solid clinical proof to support its use in sports medicine, and in fact, clinical findings on individual responses to PRP treatment are contradictory. These contradictions may be due to interindividual differences in the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes related to PRPs and/or their receptors. These SNPs can determine a greater or lesser response to this treatment and consequently a shorter or longer recovery time. We have focused our attention in the study of genes related to PRP with the aim to develope a genetic profile that will identify the individuals and injuries most likely to benefit from PRP treatment.