Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Biomechanical muscle properties and angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism: a model-based study

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous studies reported an association of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D gene polymorphism with physical performance. The study was based on the hypothesis that certain individual biomechanical muscle properties could be associated with ACE genotype and that they could influence athletes’ physical performance. Movement-independent individual biomechanical muscle properties of 62 sports students were determined by applying a mathematical model to experimental data. Subjects exerted concentric and isometric contractions at a leg-press. The model was based on a Hill-type muscle model, a function describing the geometrical arrangement of human leg extensor muscles, and an exponential function describing muscle activation. Mouthwash samples were taken to determine the ACE genotypes. Several combinations of experimentally determined biomechanical properties served as input variables for a discriminant analysis. We were able to show that individual biomechanical muscle properties correlated with ACE I/D gene polymorphism. With a combination of certain individual muscle parameters based on a Hill-type muscle model, we were able to separate three individual ACE genotypes (II, ID, DD) in a significant way (P < 0.03) and correctly classify 89% of the cases using a discriminant analysis. We conclude that local biomechanical muscle properties are influenced by ACE genotype.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alvarez R, Terrados N, Ortolano R, Iglesias-Cubero G, Reguero JR, Batalla A, Cortina A, Fernandez-Garcia B, Rodriguez C, Braga S, Alvarez V, Coto E (2000) Genetic variation in the renin-angiotensin system and athletic performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 82(1-2):117–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barclay CJ (1996) Mechanical efficiency and fatigue of fast and slow muscles of the mouse. J Physiol 497(Pt 3):781–794

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bortz J (1999) Statistik für Sozialwissenschaftler. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 585–605

    Google Scholar 

  • Danser AH, Schalekamp MA, Bax WA, van den Brink AM, Saxena PR, Riegger GA, Schunkert H (1995) Angiotensin-converting enzyme in the human heart. Effect of the deletion/insertion polymorphism. Circulation 92(6):1387–1388

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Falk KI, Zou JZ, Lucht E, Linde A, Ernberg I (1997) Direct identification by PCR of EBV types and variants in clinical samples. J Med Virol 51(4):355–363

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Folland J, Leach B, Little T, Hawker K, Myerson S, Montgomery H, Jones D (2000) Angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype affects the response of human skeletal muscle to functional overload. Exp Physiol 85(5):575–579

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gayagay G, Yu B, Hambly B, Boston T, Hahn A, Celermajer DS, Trent RJ (1998) Elite endurance athletes and the ACE I allele—the role of genes in athletic performance. Hum Genet 103(1):48–50

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herzog W (1994) Muscle. In: Nigg BM, Herzog W (eds) Biomechanics of the musculo-skeletal system. Wiley, Chichester, pp 154–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkinson NS, Nickol AH, Payne J, Hawe E, Man WD, Moxham J, Montgomery H, Polkey MI (2004) Angiotensin converting enzyme genotype and strength in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 170(4):395–399

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karjalainen J, Kujala UM, Stolt A, Mantysaari M, Viitasalo M, Kainulainen K, Kontula K (1999) Angiotensinogen gene M235T polymorphism predicts left ventricular hypertrophy in endurance athletes. J Am Coll Cardiol 34(2):494–499

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kohler G, Boutellier U (2005) The generalized force–velocity relationship explains why the preferred pedaling rate of cyclists exceeds the most efficient one. Eur J Appl Physiol 94(1–2):188–195

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery H, Clarkson P, Barnard M, Bell J, Brynes A, Dollery C, Hajnal J, Hemingway H, Mercer D, Jarman P, Marshall R, Prasad K, Rayson M, Saeed N, Talmud P, Thomas L, Jubb M, World M, Humphries S (1999) Angiotensin-converting-enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and response to physical training. Lancet 353(9152):541–545

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery HE, Marshall R, Hemingway H, Myerson S, Clarkson P, Dollery C, Hayward M, Holliman DE, Jubb M, World M, Thomas EL, Brynes AE, Saeed N, Barnard M, Bell JD, Prasad K, Rayson M, Talmud PJ, Humphries SE (1998) Human gene for physical performance. Nature 393(6682):221–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Myerson S, Hemingway H, Budget R, Martin J, Humphries S, Montgomery H (1999) Human angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene and endurance performance. J Appl Physiol 87(4):1313–1316

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nazarov IB, Woods DR, Montgomery H, Shneider OV, Kazakov VI, Tomilin NV, Rogozkin VA (2001) The angiotensin converting enzyme I/D polymorphism in Russian athletes. Eur J Hum Genet 9:797–801

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rankinen T, Perusse L, Gagnon J, Chagnon YC, Leon AS, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH, Rao DC, Bouchard C (2000) Angiotensin-converting enzyme ID polymorphism and fitness phenotype in the HERITAGE family study. J Appl Physiol 88(3):1029–1035

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rigat B, Hubert C, Alhenc-Gelas F, Cambien F, Corvol P, Soubrier F (1990) An insertion/deletion polymorphism in the angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene accounting for half the variance of serum enzyme levels. J Clin Invest 86(4):1343–1346

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schimmel B, Dahse R, Wagner H, Thaller S, Sust M (2001) ACE genotype—making of an elite athlete? Eur J Hum Genet 9(1):367

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanmugam V, Sell KW, Saha BK (1993) Mistyping ACE heterozygotes. PCR Methods Appl 3(2):120–121

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siebert T, Wagner H, Blickhan R (2003) Not all oscillations are rubbish: forward simulation of quick-release experiments. JMMB 3(1):107–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudi KM, Dahse R, Thaller S, Wagner H, Paverl D, Möller R, Tafeit E, Sust M (2001) The relationship between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) genotypes and body fat distribution in male sport students. XVIIIth Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Zürich

  • Sust M (1996) Modular aufgebaute deterministische Modelle zur Beschreibung menschlicher Bewegungen. In: Ballreich R, Baumann W (eds) Grundlagen der Biomechanik des Sports. Ferdinant Enke Verlag, Stuttgart, pp 196–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Sust M, Schmalz T, Beyer L, Rost R, Hansen E, Weiss T (1997a) Assessment of isometric contractions performed with maximal subjective effort: corresponding results for EEG changes and force measurements. Int J Neurosci 92(1-2):103–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sust M, Schmalz T, Linnenbecker S (1997b) Relationship between distribution of muscle fibres and invariables of motion. Hum Mov Sci 16:533–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor RR, Mamotte CD, Fallon K, van Bockxmeer FM (1999) Elite athletes and the gene for angiotensin-converting enzyme. J Appl Physiol 87(3):1035–1037

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thaller S, Wagner H (2004) The relation between Hill’s equation and individual muscle properties. J Theor Biol 231(3):319–332

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tiret L, Rigat B, Visvikis S, Breda C, Corvol P, Cambien F, Soubrier F (1992) Evidence, from combined segregation and linkage analysis, that a variant of the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene controls plasma ACE levels. Am J Hum Genet 51(1):197–205

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner H, Blickhan R (2003) Stabilizing function of antagonistic neuromusculoskeletal systems—an analytical investigation. Biol Cybern 89:71–79

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner H, Siebert T, Marsh RL, Blickhan R (2005) ISOFIT—a new model based method to measure muscle-tendon properties simultaneously. BMMB 4:10–19

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss T, Sust M, Beyer L, Hansen E, Rost R, Schmalz T (1995) Theta power decreases in preparation for voluntary isometric contractions performed with maximal subjective effort. Neurosci Lett 193:153–156

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams AG, Rayson MP, Jubb M, World M, Woods DR, Hayward M, Martin J, Humphries SE, Montgomery HE (2000) The ACE gene and muscle performance. Nature 403(6770):614

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams AG, Day SH, Folland JP, Gohlke P, Dhamrait S, Montgomery HE (2005) Circulating angiotensin converting enzyme activity is correlated with muscle strength. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37(6):944–948

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woods DR, Brull D, Montgomery HE (2000) Endurance and the ACE I/D polymorphism. Sci Prog 83(Pt):317–336

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woods DR, World M, Rayson MP, Williams AG, Jubb M, Jamshidi Y, Hayward M, Mary DASG, Humphries SE, Montgomery H (2002) Endurance enhancement related to the human angiotensin I-converting enzyme I-D polymorphism is not due to differences in the cardiorespiratory response to training. Eur J Appl Physiol 86:240–244

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Prof. Dr R. Blickhan for the opportunity to perform the measurements at the Institute of Sport Science, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sport Sciences, Biomechanics and Motor Control, University of Muenster, Horstmarer Landweg 62b, 48149, Muenster, Germany

    Heiko Wagner

  2. Institute of Sport Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria

    Sigrid Thaller & Martin Sust

  3. Institute of Pathology, Helios-Clinic, Erfurt, Germany

    Regine Dahse

Authors
  1. Heiko Wagner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sigrid Thaller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Regine Dahse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Martin Sust
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heiko Wagner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wagner, H., Thaller, S., Dahse, R. et al. Biomechanical muscle properties and angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism: a model-based study. Eur J Appl Physiol 98, 507–515 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0293-7

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0293-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation