The Ala54Thr Polymorphism of the Fatty Acid Binding Protein 2 Gene Does Not Influence Insulin Sensitivity in Finnish Nondiabetic and NIDDM Subjects

Abstract

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are major predictors of NIDDM. Since several studies have demonstrated that heredity plays a significant role in the development of insulin resistance (1), defects in genes that regulate insulin action could potentially contribute to the risk of NIDDM. A locus on chromosome 4q has been shown to be linked with fasting insulin levels (2), 2-h insulin levels (3,4), and insulin action (2) in Pima Indians and Mexican-Americans, suggesting that the fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) gene is a promising candidate gene for insulin resistance and NIDDM.

Genotype and allele frequencies of the intestinal fatty acid binding protein-2 gene in two Arab populations

“…from 0.22 in the African Americans [32] to 0.35 in Japanese [24], and approximately 0.30 in Caucasians [33]. The results of this study are within the range reported in the literature.…”

The fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) polymorphism Ala54Thr and obesity in Pakistan: A population based study and a systematic meta-analysis

“…Its association with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance has been confirmed in the USA and Canada, but not in Finland and Chile [32][33][34][35][36].…”

Genetic predictors of plasma lipid response to diet intervention

“…Using this approach, the FABP2 mutation was associated with a lower mean insulin-stimulated glucose uptake rate in Pima Indians. However, no significant findings were noted in subjects with Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia (FCHL) [23] and in overweight, Finnish subjects [24]. In a separate study, Stern et al [25] found that the IFABP was not significantly linked to the major gene for the age of onset for noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) [25].…”