Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) Ala54Thr genetic polymorphism and to evaluate its association with obesity and insulin resistance in Chilean aboriginal populations. A sample of 96 urban Aymara and 111 urban Mapuche subjects aged 20-80 years were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Glucose, insulin and lipid profile were measured in fasting plasma samples. Insulin resistance was estimated through the HOMA-IR model. FABP2 Ala54Thr genotypes were determined by PCR followed by RFLP analysis. The allele frequency of Thr54 variant was estimated as 18.2% in Aymara subjects, which is one of the lowest reported to date. The corresponding frequency in Mapuche subjects was 31.9% (p<0.002). Regarding genotype-phenotype associations, no significant differences were found in any of the anthropometric or metabolic variables according to Ala54Thr genotypes. After adjustment by BMI and metabolic variables through a logistic regression analysis, the association of the FABP2 polymorphism with ethnic group persisted (Mapuche group: OR=2.37, 95% CI 1.319-4.277, p=0.004) It is unlikely that Ala54Thr polymorphism of the FABP2 gene plays a relevant role in obesity and insulin resistance in Chilean ethnic groups.