Genetic associations of body composition, flexibility and injury risk with ACE, ACTN3and COL5A1polymorphisms in Korean ballerinas

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to exam the association of body composition, flexibility, and injury risk to genetic polymorphismsincluding ACEID, ACTN3RX, and COL5A1polymorphisms in ballet dancers in Korea. [Methods]For the purpose of this study,elite ballerinas (n = 97) and normal female adults (n = 203) aged 18 to 39 were recruited and these participants were tested forbody weight, height, body fat, fat free mass, flexibility, injury risks on the joints and gene polymorphisms (ACE, ACTN3, COL5A1polymorphism). [Results]As results, the ACEDD genotype in ballerinas was associated with higher body fat and percentageof body fat than the ACEII and ID genotypes (p< 0.05). In the study on the ACTN3polymorphism and ballerinas, the XXgenotype in ballerinas had lower body weight and lower fat-free mass than the RR and RX genotype (p < 0.005). Also, the meansof sit and reach test for flexibility was lower in the ACTN3XX genotype of ballerinas than the RR and RX genotype of ballerinas(p< 0.05). Among the sports injuries, the ankle injury of the XX-genotyped ballerinas was in significantly more prevalence thanthe RR and XX-genotyped ballerinas (p< 0.05). According to the odd ratio analysis, XX-genotyped ballerinas have the injuryrisk on the ankle about 4.7 (95% CI: 1.6~13.4, p< 0.05) times more than the RR and RX-genotyped ballerinas. Meanwhile, theCOL5A1polymorphism in ballerinas has no association with any factors including flexibility and injury risks. [Conclusion]Inconclusion, ACEpolymorphism and ACTN3polymorphism were associated with ballerinas' performance capacity; COL5A1wasnot associated with any factors of performance of Ballerinas. The results suggested that the ACEDD genotype is associated withhigh body fat, the ACTN3XX genotype is associated with low fat-free mass, low flexibility, and higher risk of ankle-joint injury.