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The Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPAR-γ2 gene affects associations of fish intake and marine n−3 fatty acids with glucose metabolism

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Data on associations between marine n−3 fatty acids and glucose metabolism are inconsistent. Therefore, we explored effects of the Pro12Ala polymorphism in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ2 gene on associations of fish intake and dietary and plasma eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid with glucose metabolism. The design comprises of the cross-sectional analysis.

Subjects/Methods:

The Pro12Ala variant in the PPAR-γ2 (PPARG) gene was genotyped in 571 non-diabetic relatives of subjects with type II diabetes. The dietary intake was measured by a 3-day food record, and the plasma cholesterol ester fatty acid composition was analysed with gas chromatography. Associations of dietary and plasma variables with insulin resistance and fasting and 2-h glucose and free fatty acid concentrations were analysed with multiple linear regression analysis.

Results:

In men, there was a significant interaction between PPARG polymorphism and plasma docosahexaenoic acid on fasting free fatty acid concentration (P=0.036), and genotype-stratified models showed an inverse association in Pro homozygotes only (P=0.028). In women, the proportion of plasma eicosapentaenoic acid was higher in Ala-allele carriers compared to Pro homozygotes (1.67 vs 1.44% respectively, P=0.006). A significant interaction between PPARG polymorphism and fish intake on 2-h glucose was found in women (P=0.021), and genotype-stratified models suggested an inverse association in Ala-allele carriers only (P=0.039).

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that PPARG polymorphism might affect the plasma proportion of eicosapentaenoic acid and modulate the associations of fish intake and marine n−3 fatty acids with glucose metabolism and fasting free fatty acids.

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Acknowledgements

We recognize the valuable contributions of the Botnia research team, Carina Kronberg-Kippilä, MSc, the Helsinki Botnia research laboratory, the Core Lipid Laboratory in Helsinki University Central Hospital and the Biomarker laboratory of the National Public Health Institute, Helsinki. Thanks are also due to the families for their willingness to participate. This work was supported by funding from the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Academy of Finland, the Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation, EC-grant (GIFT-QLRT-1999-00546), JDF-Wallenberg Center of Excellence, the Foundation for Nutrition Research, the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Folkhälsan Foundation and the Liv och Hälsa Foundation. LG has been a consultant for and served on advisory boards for Aventis-Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb, Kowa and Roche.

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Correspondence to S K Ylönen.

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Guarantor: SK Ylönen.

Contributors: AA, LG, SMV and SKY planned the study. SMV and SKY were responsible for dietary data collection; VL, LG and CS for the collection of the other data and IS supervised plasma fatty acid analyses. SKY conducted the data analyses and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors were involved in the interpretation of the results and the revising of the manuscript.

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Ylönen, S., Salminen, I., Lyssenko, V. et al. The Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPAR-γ2 gene affects associations of fish intake and marine n−3 fatty acids with glucose metabolism. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1432–1439 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602882

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