Hirofumi Zempo
26667363900
Publications - 1
Genetic Factors of Elite Wrestling Status: A Multi-Ethnic Comparative Study
Attila Szabo
Celal Bulgay
Ayumu Kozuma
Hirofumi Zempo
Mika Saito
Minoru Deguchi
Hiroki Homma
Shingo Matsumoto
Hasan H. Kazan
Ildus I. Ahmetov
Mehmet A. Ergun
Ryutaro Matsumoto
Anıl Kasakolu
Türker Bıyıklı
Giyasettin Baydaş
Ekaterina A. Semenova
Andrey K. Larin
Nikolay A. Kulemin
Edward V. Generozov
Takanobu Okamoto
Koichi Nakazato
Naoki Kikuchi
Seyrani Koncagul
Publication Name: Genes
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Background: In recent years, comprehensive analyses using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) have been conducted to identify genetic factors related to athletic performance. In this study, we investigated the association between genetic variants and elite wrestling status across multiple ethnic groups using a genome-wide genotyping approach. Methods: This study included 168 elite wrestlers (64 Japanese, 67 Turkish, and 36 Russian), all of whom had competed in international tournaments, including the Olympic Games. Control groups consisted of 306 Japanese, 137 Turkish, and 173 Russian individuals without elite athletic backgrounds. We performed a GWAS comparing allele frequencies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between elite wrestlers and controls in each ethnic cohort. Cross-population analysis comprised (1) identifying SNPs with nominal significance (p < 0.05) in all three groups, then (2) meta-analyzing overlapped SNPs to assess effect consistency and combined significance. Finally, we investigated whether the most significant SNPs were associated with gene expression in skeletal muscle in 23 physically active men. Results: The GWAS identified 328,388 (Japanese), 23,932 (Turkish), and 30,385 (Russian) SNPs reaching nominal significance. Meta-analysis revealed that the ATP2A3 rs6502758 and UNC5C rs265061 polymorphisms were associated (p < 0.0001) with elite wrestling status across all three populations. Both variants are located in intronic regions and influence the expression of their respective genes in skeletal muscle. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate gene polymorphisms associated with elite wrestling status in a multi-ethnic cohort. ATP2A3 rs6502758 and UNC5C rs265061 polymorphisms may represent important genetic factors associated with achieving an elite status in wrestling, irrespective of ethnicity.
Open Access: Yes