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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
Human intestinal fatty acid binding protein 2 expression is associated with fat intake and polymorphisms
Annegret Auinger1, Ulf Helwig, Diana Rubin
1Max Rubner-Institut, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Kiel, Karlsruhe, Germany. Annegret.Auinger@mri.bund.de
Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (FABP2) expression is influenced by dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and FABP2 gene variations. This suggests FABP2 plays a role in regulating food intake and intestinal fatty acid utilization.
Area of Science:
- Human molecular genetics
- Nutritional biochemistry
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (FABP2) variations (promoter haplotypes A/B, exon 2 Ala54Thr) are linked to dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.
- Understanding FABP2 expression determinants in human intestinal mucosa is crucial for metabolic health research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between dietary fat intake, FABP2 genotypes, biochemical markers, and FABP2 gene expression in human duodenal mucosa.
- To explore the role of FABP2 in lipid metabolism and its potential connection to food intake regulation.
Main Methods:
- FABP2 gene expression analysis in duodenal biopsies from 100 participants.
- Genotyping for FABP2 promoter haplotypes (A/B) and assessment of dietary habits via FFQ.
- Measurement of metabolic syndrome traits, biochemical data, and postprandial glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) levels.
Main Results:
- FABP2 expression correlated positively with (n-3) fatty acid intake in AA homozygotes (r = 0.49; P = 0.021).
- FABP2 expression was higher in AA homozygotes compared to B-allele carriers after adjusting for (n-3) FA intake (P = 0.049).
- FABP2 expression showed a negative correlation with serum free fatty acids (FFA) (r = -0.41; P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- FABP2 expression in the human intestine is significantly influenced by both dietary (n-3) fatty acid intake and specific FABP2 genotypes.
- FABP2 may play a role in modulating appetite and regulating the utilization of fatty acids within the intestine.
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