Abstract

The genetic components of insulin-resistance, diabetes and obesity have been largely studied. These conditions are determined by multiple polygenic and environmental factors. Certain candidate genes, that have common functional variants in the general population, may be important determinants of inter-individual differences in the response to dietary changes. This review focuses in one of the major candidate genes, the gene encoding for the FABP2, an intracellular protein expressed only in the intestine, involved in the absorption and intracellular transport of dietary long chain fatty acids. Carriers of the Thr54 allele in FABP2 have a 2-fold greater affinity for long chain fatty acids than Ala54 carriers. The increased flux of dietary fatty acids (FA) into the circulation, among carriers of FABP2 Ala54Thr, supports a role of the polymorphism of this allele in the etiology of metabolic disorders. The frequencies of the polymorphism in different populations fluctuate between 18% and 40%. FABP2 Ala54Thr variant has been associated with an increased fasting insulin concentration, fasting fatty acid oxidation and reduced glucose uptake. This evidence, although not conclusive, sustains an association between FABP-2 genotype and metabolic abnormalities