Concussion-Related Biomarker Variations in Retired Rugby Players and Implications for Neurodegenerative Disease Risk: The UK Rugby Health Study

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aut.relation.issue14
aut.relation.journalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
aut.relation.startpage7811
aut.relation.volume25
dc.contributor.authorAlanazi, N
dc.contributor.authorFitzgerald, M
dc.contributor.authorHume, P
dc.contributor.authorHellewell, S
dc.contributor.authorHorncastle, A
dc.contributor.authorAnyaegbu, C
dc.contributor.authorPapini, MG
dc.contributor.authorHargreaves, N
dc.contributor.authorHalicki, M
dc.contributor.authorEntwistle, I
dc.contributor.authorHind, K
dc.contributor.authorChazot, P
dc.date.accessioned2024-09-03T23:02:37Z
dc.date.available2024-09-03T23:02:37Z
dc.date.issued2024-07-17
dc.description.abstractThe health and well-being of retired rugby union and league players, particularly regarding the long-term effects of concussions, are of major concern. Concussion has been identified as a major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), in athletes engaged in contact sports. This study aimed to assess differences in specific biomarkers between UK-based retired rugby players with a history of concussion and a non-contact sports group, focusing on biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s, ALS, and CTE. We randomly selected a sample of male retired rugby or non-contact sport athletes (n = 56). The mean age was 41.84 ± 6.44, and the mean years since retirement from the sport was 7.76 ± 6.69 for participants with a history of substantial concussions (>5 concussions in their career) (n = 30). The mean age was 45.75 ± 11.52, and the mean years since retirement was 6.75 ± 4.64 for the healthy controls (n = 26). Serum biomarkers (t-tau, RBP-4, SAA, Nf-L, and retinol), plasma cytokines, and biomarkers associated with serum-derived exosomes (Aβ42, p-tau181, p-tau217, and p-tau231) were analyzed using validated commercial ELISA assays. The results of the selected biomarkers were compared between the two groups. Biomarkers including t-tau and p-tau181 were significantly elevated in the history of the substantial concussion group compared to the non-contact sports group (t-tau: p < 0.01; p-tau181: p < 0.05). Although between-group differences in p-tau217, p-tau231, SAA, Nf-L, retinol, and Aβ42 were not significantly different, there was a trend for higher levels of Aβ42, p-tau217, and p-tau231 in the concussed group. Interestingly, the serum-derived exosome sizes were significantly larger (p < 0.01), and serum RBP-4 levels were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the highly concussed group. These findings indicate that retired athletes with a history of multiple concussions during their careers have altered serum measurements of exosome size, t-tau, p-tau181, and RBP-4. These biomarkers should be explored further for the prediction of future neurodegenerative outcomes, including ALS, in those with a history of concussion.
dc.identifier.citationInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences, ISSN: 1422-0067 (Print); 1422-0067 (Online), MDPI AG, 25(14), 7811-. doi: 10.3390/ijms25147811
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/ijms25147811
dc.identifier.issn1422-0067
dc.identifier.issn1422-0067
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10292/17967
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherMDPI AG
dc.relation.urihttps://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7811
dc.rights© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccess
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectbiomarkers
dc.subjectbrain injury
dc.subjectconcussion
dc.subjectneurodegenerative disease
dc.subjectsport
dc.subject3101 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
dc.subject31 Biological Sciences
dc.subject3404 Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry
dc.subject34 Chemical Sciences
dc.subject3107 Microbiology
dc.subjectTraumatic Head and Spine Injury
dc.subjectDementia
dc.subjectTraumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
dc.subjectBrain Disorders
dc.subjectNeurosciences
dc.subjectPhysical Injury - Accidents and Adverse Effects
dc.subjectAcquired Cognitive Impairment
dc.subjectAging
dc.subjectNeurodegenerative
dc.subjectClinical Research
dc.subjectPrevention
dc.subjectNeurological
dc.subject0399 Other Chemical Sciences
dc.subject0604 Genetics
dc.subject0699 Other Biological Sciences
dc.subjectChemical Physics
dc.subject3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
dc.subject3107 Microbiology
dc.subject3404 Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshBiomarkers
dc.subject.meshMale
dc.subject.meshBrain Concussion
dc.subject.meshMiddle Aged
dc.subject.meshUnited Kingdom
dc.subject.meshRetirement
dc.subject.meshFootball
dc.subject.meshAdult
dc.subject.meshAthletes
dc.subject.meshNeurodegenerative Diseases
dc.subject.meshRugby
dc.subject.meshtau Proteins
dc.subject.meshRisk Factors
dc.subject.meshRetinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma
dc.subject.meshAthletic Injuries
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshBrain Concussion
dc.subject.meshNeurodegenerative Diseases
dc.subject.meshAthletic Injuries
dc.subject.meshtau Proteins
dc.subject.meshRisk Factors
dc.subject.meshFootball
dc.subject.meshRetirement
dc.subject.meshAdult
dc.subject.meshMiddle Aged
dc.subject.meshMale
dc.subject.meshRetinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma
dc.subject.meshAthletes
dc.subject.meshBiomarkers
dc.subject.meshUnited Kingdom
dc.subject.meshRugby
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshBiomarkers
dc.subject.meshMale
dc.subject.meshBrain Concussion
dc.subject.meshMiddle Aged
dc.subject.meshUnited Kingdom
dc.subject.meshRetirement
dc.subject.meshFootball
dc.subject.meshAdult
dc.subject.meshAthletes
dc.subject.meshNeurodegenerative Diseases
dc.subject.meshRugby
dc.subject.meshtau Proteins
dc.subject.meshRisk Factors
dc.subject.meshRetinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma
dc.subject.meshAthletic Injuries
dc.titleConcussion-Related Biomarker Variations in Retired Rugby Players and Implications for Neurodegenerative Disease Risk: The UK Rugby Health Study
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id563031
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