title: PPARα gene variants as predicted performance-enhancing polymorphisms in professional Italian soccer players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The PPARα gene encodes the peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor alpha, a central regulator of expression of other genes involved in fatty acid metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of G allele of the PPARα intron 7 G/C polymorphism (rs4253778) in professional Italian soccer players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty professional soccer players and 30 sedentary volunteers were enrolled in the study. Samples of venous blood were obtained at rest, in the morning, by conventional clinical procedures; blood serum was collected and total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured. An aliquot of anticoagulant-treated blood was used to prepare genomic DNA from whole blood. The G/C polymorphic site in PPARα intron 7 was scanned by using the PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism) protocol with TaqI enzyme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found variations in genotype distribution of PPARα polymorphism between professional soccer players and sedentary volunteers. Particularly, G alleles and the GG genotype were significantly more frequent in soccer players compared with healthy controls (64% versus 48%). No significant correlations were found between lipid profile and genotype background.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous results demonstrated an association of intron 7 G allele as well as the GG genotype in endurance athletes. Our result suggests that this is the case also in professional soccer players.
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proia
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schiera
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saladino
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Contrò
authors.affiliation: Regional Sports School of CONI Sicilia, Sicily, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caramazza
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Traina
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, Institute of Communication and Computer Systems, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paoli
keywords: G allele; PCR-RFLP; endurance athlete; gene variants