Mc Fie, SarahAbrahams, ShameemahPatricios, Jonathan SperidonSuter, JasonPosthumus, MichaelSeptember, Alison V.2019-03-042018Sarah Mc Fie, Shameemah Abrahams, Jon Patricios, Jason Suter, MichaelPosthumus & Alison V. September (2018) Inflammatory and apoptotic signalling pathways andconcussion severity: a genetic association study, Journal of Sports Sciences, 36:19, 2226-2234,DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2018.1448570.0264-0414 (print)1466-447X (online)10.1080/02640414.2018.1448570http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68546The objective was to investigate the relationship between IL-1B rs16944, IL-6 rs1800795, and CASP8 rs3834129 genetic polymorphisms and concussion severity. Rugby players from high school, senior amateur, and professional teams completed a concussion severity questionnaire and donated a DNA sample. Participants (n = 163) were split into symptom severity groups around the median number and duration of symptoms. The frequency of participants with high symptom counts (more than five symptoms) increased across the IL-1B (C/C: 35%; C/T: 51%; T/T: 56%; P = 0.047) and the IL-6 (C/C: 31%; C/G: 44%; G/G: 58%; P = 0.027) genotypes. The C–C inferred interleukin allele construct frequency, created from combining the IL-1B and IL-6 genotype data, was lower in participants reporting a high symptom count (18%), compared to those with a low symptom count (fewer than six symptoms, 36%, P = 0.002). Similarly, the C–C inferred interleukin allele construct frequency was lower in those reporting prolonged symptom duration (more than one week, 16%), as opposed to short symptom duration (less than one week, 34%, P = 0.015). This study provides evidence of novel inflammatory pathway genetic associations with concussion severity, which supports the hypothesis implicating neuroinflammation in the development of concussion symptoms.en© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an electronic version of an article published in Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 36, no. 19, pp. 2226-2234, 2018. doi : 10.1080/02640414.2018.1448570. Journal of Sports Sciences is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.comloi/rjsp20.ConcussionGeneticsInterleukinNeuroinflammationRugbyTraumatic brain injury (TBI)Interleukin-1 receptor antagonistWhite-matter integrityFocal cerebral-ischemiaApoe epsilon-4 alleleNecrosis-factor-alphaNeuronal injuryNervous systemNitric oxide (NO)Risk factorsPostprint Article