COULD THE A2A11 HUMAN-LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN LOCUS CORRELATE WITH MAXIMAL AEROBIC POWER

1. The power of the aerobic metabolic pathway correlates well with suc cessful physical performance in endurance sports events, The ability t o alter the pathway through training presents well-known limitations, and consequently a good genetic endowment is essential to participate in elite sporting activities. 2. In 32 subjects (16 healthy pairs of m ale twin sportsmen, 8 monozygotic and 8 dizvgotic) zygosity was determ ined by means of the genetic analysis of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) system specificities at class I and II loci and other genetic variant s, The subjects performed a progressive exercise test on a treadmill t o ascertain the maximal oxygen uptake ((V) over dot O(2)max), measured by an automatic breath-by-breath analyser, We have considered the rel ationship between the A, B and C loci of the HLA system and (V) over d ot O(2)max. 3. We found a high correlation between the presence of bot h HLA A2 and All and (V) over dot O(2)max. In the A2A11 group (n = 6) we found a (V) over dot O(2)max (mean +/- SD) equal to 71 +/- 4 ml min (-1) kg(-1). The group without this pair of alleles (n = 26) showed a much lower aerobic power (58 +/- 5 ml min(-1) kg(-1)). Differences bet ween the two groups were found to be largely significant (P < 0.001). It is noteworthy that in two pairs of dizygotic twins, the higher (V) overdot O(2)max value corresponded to the twin with the A2A11 allele. 4. The very marked concordance between the presence of the A2A11 locus of the HLA system and the (V) overdot O(2)max could be of great inter est for the identification of outstanding performers.