Effects of the FADS1 rs174537 polymorphism on polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in human tissues: a systematic review.

The rs174537 polymorphism of the FADS1 gene is identified as one of the main determinants of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs) levels. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence regarding the association between this single nucleotide polymorphism and PUFAs levels in blood, breast milk, and erythrocyte membranes. The study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. Searches were performed in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, resulting in the inclusion of 24 articles, which were assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. The results demonstrated that, in all studied populations and human tissues, GT or TT individuals presented lower levels of long-chain products, such as acid arachidonic (ARA), acid eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and acid docosahexaenoic (DHA), compared to homozygous GG individuals. It is concluded that the rs174537 polymorphism is directly related to the levels of these lipids, and nutritional and supplementation recommendations should take this into consideration, suggesting a new perspective on personalized nutrition and nutrigenetics.