Abstract
The COL5A1 rs12722 polymorphism is considered to be a novel genetic marker for endurance running performance. It has been postulated that COL5A1 rs12722 may influence the elasticity of tendons and the energetic cost of running. To date, there are no experimental data in the literature supporting the relationship between range of motion, running economy, and the COL5A1 rs12722 gene polymorphism. Therefore, the main purpose of the current study was to analyze the influence of the COL5A1rs12722 polymorphism on running economy and range of motion. One hundred and fifty (n = 150) physically active young men performed the following tests: a) a maximal incremental treadmill test, b) two constant-speed running tests (10 km•h−1 and 12 km•h−1) to determine the running economy, and c) a sit-and-reach test to determine the range of motion. All of the subjects were genotyped for the COL5A1 rs12722 single-nucleotide polymorphism. The genotype frequencies were TT = 27.9%, CT = 55.8%, and CC = 16.3%. There were no significant differences between COL5A1 genotypes for running economy measured at 10 km•h−1 (p = 0.232) and 12 km•h−1 (p = 0.259). Similarly, there were no significant differences between COL5A1 genotypes for range of motion (p = 0.337). These findings suggest that the previous relationship reported between COL5A1 rs12722 genotypes and running endurance performance might not be mediated by the energetic cost of running.
Highlights
It is well known that athletic performance is dependent on a multifactorial phenotype resulting from a complex interaction between environmental [1,2] and genetic [3,4] factors
It has been speculated that the superior running ability of individuals with a TT genotype could be explained by a greater Running economy (RE) when compared with individuals with at least a C allele [8]
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study designed to analyze the relationship between a common C to T single-nucleotide polymorphism gene within COL5A1 gene and RE
Summary
It is well known that athletic performance is dependent on a multifactorial phenotype resulting from a complex interaction between environmental [1,2] and genetic [3,4] factors. Posthumus et al [7] reported that endurance running performance is associated with a gene, named COL5A1, which encodes a structural protein of the extracellular matrix. These authors observed that the TT genotype was overrepresented in runners with faster performances during the 42.2-km running portion of the Ironman triathlon, suggesting thatCOL5A1 might be a novel genetic marker for endurance running performance. It was hypothesised that individuals with a TT genotype of this variant would have increased type V collagen production and favorably altered mechanical properties of tendons, which enhances endurance running ability [7,8]
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