UNCOUPLING PROTEIN 3 GENE POLYMORPHISM AND ELITE ENDURANCE ATHLETE STATUS

Uncoupling Protein 3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial protein expressed in skeletal muscle. Both VO2max and mechanical efficiency have been negatively correlated with mRNA levels of UCP3. PURPOSE We examined the hypothesis of an association between a C-T polymorphism in the 5' regulatory region (−55bp) of the UCP3 gene and elite endurance athlete (EEA) status. METHODS Subjects were 183 Caucasian male EEA with measured VO2max ≥ 75 mL O2/Kg/min and 121 age and ethnicity matched sedentary controls (CON; VO2max ≤ 49 mL O2/Kg/min). The polymorphism was detected by allele refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) and agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS There were no significant differences in allelic (EEA; C=72%, T=28% vs. CON; C=74%, T=26%) or genotypic (EEA; CC=55%, CT=33%, TT=12% vs. CON; CC=54%, CT=40%, TT=6%) frequencies between groups. CONCLUSION The present findings do not support the hypothesis that the −55bp C-T polymorphism of the UCP3 gene is a marker of elite endurance athlete status. Supported by CRC-RCMI UPR-MSC Grant #1P20RR11126, RCMI Basic Sciences #G12RR03051 and FIDI, UPR-Cayey