Relationships Between the Expression of the ACTN3 Gene and Explosive Power of Soccer Players

Abstract

Muscle strength and maximal speed are factors determining athlete’s results during competition. Their association with ACTN3 gene activity has been documented. The purpose of this study was the analysis of ACTN3 gene expression during a 2 month training cycle of soccer players and its correlation with the countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ). The study group consisted of 22 soccer players (aged 17‐18). The study material included peripheral blood lymphocytes. The relative expression (RQ) of the ACTN3 gene was analyzed by qPCR and performed before and after the two‐month training cycle. Before the training cycle low expression levels of ACTN3 (median RQ = 0.95) were observed, yet after the training cycle they were elevated (median RQ = 1.98) ( p = 0.003). There was an increase in performance of both jumps: SJ (p = 0.020) and CMJ (p = 0.012) at the end of the training cycle. A simultaneous increase in the ACTN3 gene expression level and height in both jump tests was observed in 73% of athletes (p > 0.05). There were no significant relationships between the ACTN3 gene expression level and the results of the CMJ and SJ. However, explosive strength is a complex feature shaped by many different factors and it could be the reason why we did not observe correlations between these variables.

Genetic Polymorphisms and Their Impact on Body Composition and Performance of Brazilians in a 105 Km Mountain Ultramarathon

“…The presence of the RR genotype of this polymorphism is associated with the full expression of the alpha-actinin-3 protein in fast-twitch muscle fibers, a crucial feature for long-duration and high-intensity activities like mountain ultramarathons [ 31 ]. The correlation with BMI may suggest that athletes with this genotype, who tend to have greater muscle mass, can more effectively handle the demands of mountain running, where muscular strength and endurance are vital [ 14 , 32 ].…”

Genetic characteristics of competitive swimmers: a review

“…They showed that both male and female elite sprinters have significantly higher frequencies of the 577R allele compared to controls. Since then, ACTN3 R577X has been studied in other cohorts such as rowers [ 132 ], soccer players [ 133 ], ironman triathletes [ 134 ], basketball [ 135 ] etc. Some articles have reported a strong association between the RR genotype and elite power performance [ 136 – 139 ].…”

Somatotipo y polimorfismo del gen ACTN3 y ECA en jugadores de tenis de mesa chilenos (Somatotype and polymorphism of the ACTN3 and ACE gene in Chilean table tennis players)

“…Pese a que la relación entre somatotipo y genotipo en deportistas de elite ha sido bien descrita en la literatura por diferentes autores (Domanska-Senderowska et al, 2019;Potocka et al, 2019), esta no fue posible comprobarla en este estudio. Esto pudiera deberse a que la variación de somatotipo depende en gran medida de la carga y tipo de entrenamiento, factor fundamental a la hora de separar el deporte de competición del deporte de alto rendimiento.…”