Variation in the PPARα gene in Polish rowers

The PPARα gene code for transcriptional factor that is a central regulator of expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism and is believed to be a one of the genes of health-related fitness phenotype. The aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that G allele of PPARα intron 7 G/C polymorphic site (rs4253778) is positively associated with endurance athlete status. PPARα genotypes were analyzed for 55 Polish rowers: 30 elite rowers representing the highest national competitive standard and 25 non-elite rowers representing regional standard. Control samples were prepared from 115 unrelated volunteers. The G/C polymorphic site in PPARα intron 7 was scanned by using PCR-RFLP protocol with TaqI enzyme. The allele frequency and genotype distribution was determined by gene and genotype counting. Significance was assessed by χ2 analysis. The obtained results revealed that frequency of the PPARα GG genotype (87% vs. 63%; p = 0.04) and G allele (93% vs. 79%; p = 0.009) were significantly higher in the elite group of the Polish rowers compared to sedentary controls. These data confirm that GG genotype is more prevalent in the group of endurance athletes therefore G allele may be considered as one of the endurance-related allele.