Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 7, 2026

On-Chip Endothelial Inflammatory Phenotyping
Published on: July 21, 2012
Influence of toll-like receptor 4 gene variants and plasma fatty acid profile on systemic inflammation: A
Marina Maintinguer Norde1, Erica Oki1, Antonio A F Carioca1
1Nutrition Department, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and plasma fatty acid (FA) profile in modulating risk for systemic inflammation.
Methods:
In all, 262 adult (19-59 y) participants of the Health Survey of São Paulo met the inclusion criteria. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, plasma inflammatory biomarker concentration, and fatty acid profile were measured and four SNPs of the TLR4 gene (rs4986790, rs4986791, rs11536889, and rs5030728) were genotyped. Multivariate cluster analysis was performed to stratify individuals based on levels of 11 plasma inflammatory biomarkers into two groups: inflammatory (INF) and noninflammatory (NINF).
Results:
No association was found between any of the SNPs studied and systemic inflammation. The INF cluster had higher palmitic acid levels (P = 0.039) and estimated stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase activity (P = 0.045) and lower polyunsaturated fatty acid (P = 0.011), ω-6 fatty acid (P = 0.018), arachidonic acid (P = 0.002) levels, and estimated δ-5 desaturase activity (P = 0.025) compared with the NINF cluster. Statistically significant interaction between rs11536889 and arachidonic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid (AA/EPA) ratio (P = 0.034) was found to increase the odds of belonging to the INF cluster when individuals had the variant allele C and were at the higher percentile of AA/EPA plasma ratio.
Conclusion:
Plasma fatty acid profile modulated the odds of belonging to the INF cluster depending on genotypes of TRL4 gene polymorphisms.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammation
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, are required in minimal quantities, but their deficiencies can lead to severely abnormal physiological conditions. For example, vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness, dry skin,...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
Formation of Lipopolysaccharides
Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets

