Many potentially significant genetic variants related to oxidative stress have been identified and performance in endurance sports is a multi-factorial phenotype. Thus, it was decided to investigate the influences of the haptoglobin (Hp), MnSOD (Val9Ala), CAT (21A/T), GPX1 (Pro198Leu), ACE, glutathione S-transferases M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1) genes' polymorphisms on the oxidative stress and damage suffered by human athletes (runners). Blood samples taken immediately after a race were submitted to genotyping, comet and TBARS assays, biochemical analyses of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). MnSOD significantly influenced results of CK and a possible association between Hp1F-1S and Hp1S-2 genotypes with a superior TBARS values was found. Higher or lower TBARS and CK values or DNA damage also depended on the interaction between Hp and ACE or GST genotypes, indicating that MnSOD and Hp polymorphisms can be determining factors in performance, at least for runners.

An evaluation of the genotoxicity of domestic sewage was carried out in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The study was carried out using Allium cepa root tip cells through cytological parameters such as aberrant cells in anaphase-telophase and the mitotic index, and the fish species Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia rendalli, through the index of micronuclei in peripheral erythrocytes. In the Allium test, each of the four stages of the wasterwater treatment routine was analyzed, i.e., crude sewage, primary effluent, secondary effluent, and tertiary effluent. O. niloticus and T. rendalli specimens were maintained in an aquarium continuously receiving the final effluent, in an open system, before being discharged into Lake Paranoá. For micronuclei analysis, blood samples were drawn after 7, 21, 60, 102 and 142 days, respectively, in controlled conditions. The numbers of aberrant cells found in the Allium test did not differ among the four stages tested, nor when compared with the control. At all stages, the most concentrated sample was more toxic than the respective diluted samples, as demonstrated by the decreased mitotic index. Different sampling of the same group of fish revealed no increase in the micronuclei frequency, regardless of the period of exposure. A correlation between long-term exposure and micronuclei induction was not found either

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Our data suggests a low prevalence of celiac disease in African-derived Brazilian populations.

Background/Aims: As diet can affect an individual's genes and these can affect response to supplementation, we aimed to investigate the influence of erythropoietin (EPO T→G) and α-actinin-3 (ACTN3 R577X) polymorphisms on plasma lipid peroxidation, hemogram and biochemical dosages of creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and C-reactive protein (including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) of runners (n = 123) before and after 14 days of 400 mg pequi oil supplementation, a natural carotenoid-rich oil, after races under closely comparable conditions. Methods/Results: Blood samples were taken immediately after racing to perform the tests. Before pequi oil supplementation, EPO polymorphism influenced erythrogram and plateletgram results, suggesting an aerobic advantage for the TG genotype and a disadvantage for the GG genotype as regards possible microvascular complications, while no association was found for ACTN3 polymorphism with endurance performance. Both polymorphisms influenced the runners' response to pequi oil: significant responses were observed for the EPO TT genotype in erythrocyte, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration values, and for the TT and TG genotypes in red blood cell distribution width values. Significant differences were also observed in the plateletgram for the TT and TG genotypes. ACTN3 mainly influenced aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase values: heterozygotes had a significant reduction in aspartate aminotransferase values and homozygous individuals (XX) in creatine kinase values after pequi oil supplementation. Conclusion: These results emphasize the importance of studying nutrigenomic effects on athletes' performance.

Context: Exhausting exercise, increasing reactive oxygen species, can overwhelm the endogenous antioxidant system's capacity, resulting in oxidative damage to DNA. Deficient antioxidant defenses, influenced by certain genetic polymorphisms, may contribute. Aims: We aimed to investigate whether carotenoid-rich oil from pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) could decrease DNA damage in athletes submitted to increased hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) conditions and in those less genetically favored by antioxidant defenses. Methods and Material: Runners' blood (N = 125) was analyzed after races under the same environment, type, intensity and length of weekly training conditions, before and after 14 days of pequi-oil supplementation. DNA damage was assessed by comet assay before and after H 2 O 2 exposure, with gene polymorphisms of MnSOD Val9Ala, CAT -21A/T, GPx-1 Pro198Leu, del{GSTM1}, del{GSTT1}, ACE and Haptoglobin. Results: Without additional oxidative stress imposed by H 2 O 2 , pequi oil was particularly efficient reducing DNA damage for women, age group of 20-40 years, distance of 8-10 Km and genotypes MnSOD Val/Ala, CAT TT, GPx-1 Pro/Leu, GSTM1 null, GSTT1 non-null, ACE DD and II and Hp1F-2. For treatment with H 2 O 2 at 0.25 mM, pequi oil resulted in decreased DNA damage only for running 16-21 Km; for treatment with 1 mM, decrease was for 20-40 years and genotypes GPx-1 Pro/Pro and ACE ID. Conclusions: Pequi oil's effect on exercise-induced DNA damage was therefore influenced by sex, age and genetic polymorphisms, indicating that: long-distance races can be harmful, mainly for older athletes, due to oxidative stress above organism adaptability; genotypes showed different responses; under increased H 2 O 2 conditions, GPx-1 Pro/Pro and ACE ID genotypes were more responsive to antioxidant supplementation. IntroductIonHydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is an important representative reactive oxygen species (ROS) that arises during the aerobic respiration process and from other cellular sources.[ [2] However, oxidative stress can be caused by excessive production Key-words: reactive oxygen species; hydrogen peroxide; exercise-induced oxidative stress; exercise-induced DNA damage; comet assay; gene polymorphisms related to oxidative stress Key Messages: the present study can help broaden knowledge of how antioxidant supplementation affects exercise-induced DNA damage and how individual athletic genetic makeup can affect the way athletes respond to antioxidant supplementation against exercise-induced DNA damage.Correspondence Phone numbers: +55 61 3107-3085, Fax: +55 61 3273-4942

We investigated Individual differences in susceptibility to methylmercury (MeHg) contamination and its relationship with polymorphisms of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST). In Brazil, some Amerindian tribes from the Amazon region have an increased level of mercury in their hair. Samples of hair and blood were taken from inhabitants of two villages in the Kayabi and Munduruku Amerindian communities to investigate mercury levels in association with genetic polymorphism of GSTs. Other molecular biological markers were also studied, such as hemoglobin, haptoglobin and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH). Higher levels of mercury contamination were found in the Kayabi villagers, who had a null genotype (GSTM1 0/0, also denominated GSTM1 null) frequency of 26%, than in the Munduruku villagers, for which the null genotype frequency was 0%. Individuals with the GSTM1 null phenotype had higher concentrations of mercury in their hair than individuals with GSTM1+/+ phenotypes (F = 21.51, p < 0.0001). No association with other markers studied was observed. This study suggests that GSTM1 may be involved in the biotransformation of mercury in humans.

Physical training induces beneficial adaptations, but exhausting exercise increases reactive oxygen species, which can cause muscular injuries with consequent inflammatory processes, implying jeopardized performance and possibly overtraining. Acute strenuous exercise almost certainly exceeds the benefits of physical activity; it can compromise performance and may contribute to increased future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in athletes. Polymorphisms in the muscle-type creatine kinase (CK-MM) gene may influence performance and adaptation to training, while many potentially significant genetic variants are reported as risk factors for CVD. Therefore, we investigated the influence of polymorphisms in CK-MM TaqI and NcoI, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T and A1298C) and C-reactive protein (CRP G1059C) genes on exercise-induced damage and inflammation markers. Blood samples were taken immediately after a race (of at least 4 km) that took place outdoors on flat tracks, and were submitted to genotyping and biochemical evaluation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), CK, CRP and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP). CK-MM TaqI polymorphism significantly influenced results of AST, CK and hs-CRP, and an association between MTHFR C677T and A1298C with CRP level was found, although these levels did not exceed reference values. The results indicate that these polymorphisms can indirectly influence performance, contribute to higher susceptibility to exercise-induced inflammation or protection against it, and perhaps affect future risks of CVD in athletes.