Gene Doping
Prof. Dr. Eduardo Henrique De Rose
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Summary of the presentation
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Short history of doping in sports;
Modern definition of doping;
The future of doping: gene doping;
Genetically based therapy and span;
Selection of talents;
Exemples of gene doping;
Future possibilities;
Conclusion.
Why I choose Germany?
1911 – Physiology Laboratory presented in Dresdner;
1912 – First Sports Medicine Association founded;
1913 – Mallwitz receives the title of Sport Physician;
1917 – First Physical Education School founded;
1924 – First Sports Medicine Journal;
1928 – Foundation of FIMS in Saint Moritz, Switzerland.
Olympic Games
of 1936 in
Berlin, Germany.
Actual definition of doping
• Increases artificially the performance;
• It is a risk for the health of the athlete;
• It is contrary to the spirit of sports.
When two of the top three criteria are
present, we have a case of doping.
Genethically based
therapyes are being
developed and it will
change soon the
epidemiology of the
diseases as we know
it.
The Life Span of Humanity
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
Life span
20
0
500,000
BC
40,000
BC
10,000
BC
1,800 AC 2,500 AC
Detection of Talents
• The detection of talents is actually done by
observation of external anthropometric
characteristics and in tests in Laboratories
of Human Performance;
• The human genetically map will permit,
studying the related phenotypes of a child,
to detect a predisposition for a specific
activity.
Rankinen and Bouchard: 2004
The human gene map for
performance and health-related
fitness phenotypes: the 2003 update
The Belgian Blue Bull
Myostatin
• The Belgian Blue Bull demonstrates the effect
of blocking the antigrowth factor myostatin. A
natural genetic mutation in this breed produces
a truncated, ineffective form of myostatin,
which allows muscle growth to go unchecked.
The absence of myostatin also interferes with
fat deposition, making these “double-muscled”
cattle exceptionally lean.
Mighty Mouse - Lee and McPherron John
Hopkins Medical Institution - 1997
Viral gene IGF-1 expression in trained
rats Running on treadmill, and climbing with
overweight
(Source: Sweeney 2004)
Genetically Engineered "Marathon Mouse"
Keeps On Running
Genetically Engineered
"Marathon Mouse" Keeps On
Running By enhancing the
function of a single protein,
Howard Hughes Medical
Institute researchers have
produced a “marathon mouse”
with altered muscle
composition and enough
physical endurance to run
twice as far as normal mice.
Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
2004