| Literature DB >> 26757799 |
S M Heffernan1, L P Kilduff2, R M Erskine3, S H Day4, J S McPhee5, G E McMahon6, G K Stebbings4, J P H Neale4, S J Lockey4, W J Ribbans7, C J Cook8, B Vance9, S M Raleigh7, C Roberts10, M A Bennett2, G Wang11, M Collins12, Y P Pitsiladis11, A G Williams13.
Abstract
We aimed to quantify the ACE I/D and ACTN3 R577X (rs1815739) genetic variants in elite rugby athletes (rugby union and league) and compare genotype frequencies to controls and between playing positions. The rugby athlete cohort consisted of 507 Caucasian men, including 431 rugby union athletes that for some analyses were divided into backs and forwards and into specific positional groups: front five, back row, half backs, centers, and back three. Controls were 710 Caucasian men and women. Real-time PCR of genomic DNA was used to determine genotypes using TaqMan probes and groups were compared using χ(2) and odds ratio (OR) statistics. Correction of P values for multiple comparisons was according to Benjamini-Hochberg. There was no difference in ACE I/D genotype between groups. ACTN3 XX genotype tended to be underrepresented in rugby union backs (15.7%) compared with forwards (24.8%, P = 0.06). Interestingly, the 69 back three players (wings and full backs) in rugby union included only six XX genotype individuals (8.7%), with the R allele more common in the back three (68.8%) than controls (58.0%; χ(2) = 6.672, P = 0.04; OR = 1.60) and forwards (47.5%; χ(2) = 11.768, P = 0.01; OR = 2.00). Association of ACTN3 R577X with playing position in elite rugby union athletes suggests inherited fatigue resistance is more prevalent in forwards, while inherited sprint ability is more prevalent in backs, especially wings and full backs. These results also demonstrate the advantage of focusing genetic studies on a large cohort within a single sport, especially when intrasport positional differences exist, instead of combining several sports with varied demands and athlete characteristics.Entities:
Keywords: RugbyGene project; angiotensin converting enzyme; athlete genetics; α-actinin-3
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2016 PMID: 26757799 PMCID: PMC4929273 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00107.2015
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Physiol Genomics ISSN: 1094-8341 Impact factor: 3.107
Genotype and allele distribution of controls and athletes divided into positional subgroups (for RU only), presented as genotype/allele counts followed by percentage in parentheses
| Genotype | All Athletes | RL Athletes | RU Athletes | Controls | Forwards | Front 5 | Back Row | Backs | Half Backs | Centers | Back 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | 108 (21.4) | 18 (21.7) | 92 (21.5) | 113 (19.8) | 49 (20.0) | 36 (22.1) | 13 (15.9) | 43 (23.6) | 14 (20.3) | 14 (31.1) | 15 (22.1) |
| ID | 251 (49.7) | 39 (47.0) | 214 (50.1) | 286 (50.0) | 129 (52.7) | 86 (52.8) | 43 (52.4) | 85 (46.7) | 33 (47.8) | 17 (37.8) | 35 (51.5) |
| DD | 146 (28.9) | 26 (31.3) | 121 (28.3) | 172 (30.2) | 67 (27.3) | 41 (25.2) | 26 (31.7) | 54 (29.7) | 22 (31.9) | 14 (31.1) | 18 (26.5) |
| Total | 505 | 83 | 427 | 572 | 245 | 163 | 82 | 182 | 69 | 45 | 68 |
| I allele | 467 (46.3) | 75 (45.2) | 398 (46.6) | 512 (44.7) | 227 (46.3) | 158 (48.5) | 69 (42.1) | 171 (47.0) | 61 (44.2) | 45 (50.0) | 65 (47.8) |
| D allele | 543 (53.7) | 91 (54.8) | 456 (53.4) | 630 (55.3) | 263 (53.7) | 168 (51.5) | 95 (57.9) | 193 (53.0) | 77 (55.8) | 45 (50.0) | 71 (52.2) |
| XX | 104 (20.5) | 15 (18.1) | 90 (20.9) | 130 (18.3) | 61 (24.8) | 39 (23.8) | 22 (26.8) | 29 (15.7) | 12 (17.4) | 11 (23.4) | 6 (8.7) |
| RX | 234 (46.2) | 45 (54.2) | 194 (45.0) | 337 (47.5) | 112 (45.5) | 71 (43.3) | 41 (50.0) | 82 (44.3) | 29 (42.0) | 22 (46.8) | 31 (44.9) |
| RR | 169 (33.3) | 23 (27.7) | 147 (34.1) | 243 (34.2) | 73 (29.7) | 54 (32.9) | 19 (23.2) | 74 (40.0) | 28 (40.6) | 14 (29.8) | 32 (46.4) |
| Total | 507 | 83 | 431 | 710 | 246 | 164 | 82 | 185 | 69 | 47 | 69 |
| X allele | 442 (43.5) | 75 (45.2) | 374 (43.4) | 597 (42.0) | 234 (47.6) | 149 (45.4) | 85 (51.8) | 140 (37.8) | 53 (38.4) | 44 (46.8) | 43 (31.2) |
| R allele | 572 (56.5) | 91 (54.8) | 488 (56.6) | 823 (58.0) | 258 (52.4) | 179 (54.6) | 79 (48.2) | 230 (62.2) | 85 (61.6) | 50 (53.2) | 95 (68.8) |
RL, rugby league; RU, rugby union.
Different from forwards.
Different from the Back 3.
Fig. 1.ACTN3 allele frequencies. A: allele frequencies of rugby union (RU) athletes and controls, with athletes also divided into playing subgroup (forwards and backs). #Different from the back 3. B: allele frequencies of RU athletes divided into positional groups with the addition of the “half backs and centers combined” group. Statistical analysis between these positional groups only compared the back 3 with the half backs and centers combined.