The Association of Collagen 1A1, 5A1 and 12A1 Gene Expression with General Joint Laxity in Athletes is Non-Significant

• Main Authors: Şerife Şeyma Torğutalp, Naila Babayeva, Ömer Özkan, Fatmanur Akdoğan Kıttana, Alpaslan Alp, Feza Korkusuz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkish Sports Medicine Association 2020-07-01
• Series: Spor Hekimligi Dergisi
• Subjects: hypermobility; collagen; gene expression
• Online Access: https://journalofsportsmedicine.org/eng/full-text-pdf/550/eng

Objective: Generalized joint laxity is a connective tissue disorder, and may cause musculoskeletal injury in athletes. The gene expression levels of type I, V, and XII collagens affect the components and properties of connective tissue. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the COL1A1, COL5A1, and COL12A1 gene expression levels, which have an effect on connective tissue properties and were previously associated with ligament injuries in athletes and assess their association with generalized joint laxity. Materials and Methods: 20 athletes were included in this study. Joint laxity was evaluated according to the Beighton Horan Joint Mobility Index (BHJMI). The participants were divided into two groups as non-hypermobile (n=11) and increased mobility and hypermobility (n=9) according to their BHJMI scores. The real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the COL1A1, COL5A1, and COL12A1 gene expression levels. Results: There were no significant differences in the relative gene expressions of COL1A1, COL5A1, or COL12A1 between the groups. Conclusion: The gene expression levels of collagen types I, III, and V of participants with and without generalized joint laxity were not different. Genome-wide studies are recommended to evaluate the potential genetic variants associated with hypermobility, which causes sport-related injuries.