E. S. Nasibulina

OBJECTIVE: The FTO A/T polymorphism (rs9939609) is a strong candidate to influence obesity-related traits. Elite athletes from many different sporting disciplines are characterized by low body fat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether athletic status is associated with the FTO A/T polymorphism. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A large cohort of European Caucasians from Poland, Russia and Spain were tested to examine the association between FTO A/T polymorphism (rs9939609) and athletic status. A total of 551 athletes were divided by type of sport (endurance athletes, n = 266 vs. sprint/power athletes, n = 285) as well as by level of competition (elite-level vs. national-level). The control group consisted of 1,416 ethnically-matched, non-athletic participants, all Europeans. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between FTO A/T genotypes and athletic status/competition level. RESULTS: There were no significantly greater/lesser odds of harbouring any type of genotype when comparing across athletic status (endurance athletes, sprint/power athletes or control participants). These effects were observed after controlling for sex and nationality. Furthermore, no significantly greater/lesser odds ratios were observed for any of the genotypes in respect to the level of competition (elite-level vs. national-level). CONCLUSION: The FTO A/T polymorphism is not associated with elite athletic status in the largest group of elite athletes studied to date. Large collaborations and data sharing between researchers, as presented here, are strongly recommended to enhance the research in the field of exercise genomics.

Aim. To investigate the association of the first intron of FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene T/A (rs9939609) polymorphism and overweight in Russian population. Methods. 107 (females 48, males 59) overweight (body mass index 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) subjects or subjects with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) were included. The control group (body mass index ≤24.9 kg/m2) consisted of 453 subjects (females 323, males 130). Genotyping for the T/A (rs9939609) polymorphism of the FTO gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzyme digestion. Results. The frequency of the FTO A allele in subjects with overweight or obesity was significantly higher compared to controls (45.3% vs. 33.4%; p=0.0015). The genotype distribution of the FTO gene T/A polymorphism (TT - 32.7%, TA - 43.9%, AA - 23.4%) in a group of subjects with overweight or obesity was significantly different compared with controls (TT - 44.6%, TA - 43.9%, AA - 11.5%; p=0.0028). The relative risk of being overweight or obese was 2.4 for subjects with the FTO AA genotype. Conclusions. The results of the presented study suggest an association of the FTO gene T/A polymorphism with the risk of obesity, which is consistent with the data of numerous studies.

Obesity is a multifactorial disease which depends on the interaction between genome and environment. Fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2) regulates lipid transport, intestinal absorption and metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the interrelation between the FABP2 gene Ala54Thr polymorphism, body mass index and body fat mass and to study distribution of genotypes and alleles frequencies of FABP2 gene in athletes and individuals who are not involved in sports. 315 athletes of different sport disciplines and levels and 612 controls (predominantly students) participated in the study. Genotyping for the FABP2 gene Ala54Thr polymorphism was performed by PCR. Body composition was analyzed by bioimpedance method. The study did not confirm the association of FABP2 gene Ala54Thr polymorphism with the risk of obesity and body fat mass. However, the frequency of the Thr54 allele was significantly higher in elite stayers (50.0%, p = 0.025) and combat athletes (46.2%, p = 0.013) in comparison with controls (32.2%). Thus, FABP2 gene Ala54Thr polymorphism is associated with the predisposition to endurance athletic performance.

The review describes the features of molecular genetics, which assist coaches and sports doctors in determining the predisposit ion of children and adolescents to athletic performance (sports orientation and selection), and in improvement of their level of ac hievement through optimization and correction of training and nutrition. The article also presents data on the molecular genetic markers of predisposition to the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, traumatic encephalopathy and cardiovascular pathol ogies in young athletes.

The review describes the features of molecular genetics, which assist coaches and sports doctors in determining the predisposition of children and adolescents to athletic performance (sports orientation and selection), and in improvement of their level of achievement through optimization and correction of training and nutrition. The article also presents data on the molecular genetic markers of predisposition to the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, traumatic encephalopathy and cardiovascular pathologies in young athletes.