The VEGFR2 gene His472Gln polymorphism in Polish endurance

Abstract

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which acts via receptor VEGFR2, is a major growth polypeptide for regulating skeletal muscle angiogenesis. Type of study: Original research concerned the genetic background of physical performance. Research question: The aim of the study was to analyse the possible importance of the His472Gln polymorphism within the VEGFR2 gene in endurance athletes and sedentary individuals, in order to reveal the possible relationships between genotype and physical performance. Methods: In this study, the His472Gln polymorphism (rs1870377), derived from the VEGFR2 gene, was studied in 176 male Polish endurance athletes of a nationally competitive standard and 161 unrelated volunteers for controls. Genotyping was carried out by PCR-RFLP. Significance was assessed by Chi square (X2) analysis. Results: The results revealed that the frequency of the VEGFR2 Gln/Gln genotype (21.02% vs.10.56%; P = 0.014) and 472Gln allele (41.19% vs. 29.50%; P = 0.001) was significantly higher in the endurance-orientated athletes compared to sedentary controls. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results suggest that the VEGFR2 gene may be taken into consideration as a genetic marker in endurance-oriented athletes. However, this conclusion should be interpreted with great caution and be supported with more experimental studies on the VEGFR2 polymorphisms in elite athletes. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR