Bitter receptor gene (TAS2R38) P49A genotypes and their associations with aversion to vegetables and sweet/fat foods in Malaysian subjects

Recently, the bitter receptor gene (TAS2R38) was identified to be responsible for phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) bitter sensitivity. Its two predominant haplotypes at three Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are found to be definitive for the PTC status, which the ProAlaVal and AlaValIle haplotypes are associated with tasters and non-tasters, respectively. TAS2R38 haplotypes have been reported to influence food preferences (like cruciferous vegetables and fat foods) and cardiovascular disease risk factors. We examined, in 215 Malaysian subjects (100 males, 115 females), the association of the P49A SNP of TAS2R38 with anthropometric measurements and aversion to a list of 36 vegetables, 4 soy products, green tea and 37 sweet/fat foods. The subjects were successfully genotyped as 110 PA, 81 PP and 24 AA (with the A49 allelic frequency of 0.37), by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Ethnicity (Malay, Chinese or Indian), but not gender, was associated with the P49A TAS2R38 genotypes (p<0.001). However, no significant differences in terms of Body Mass Index, Total Body Fat, waist circumference and Waist-Hip Ratio were found between the genotypes (p<0.05). Only aversions to green tea, mayonnaise and whipped cream, but not soy products, vegetables, and other sweet/fat foods, were associated with the P49A genotypes (p<0.05). Therefore, the P49A SNP of the bitter receptor gene TAS2R38 could not serve as a predictor of anthropometric measurements and aversion to vegetables or sweet/fat foods in the sampled Malaysian subjects, and this suggests the existence of other possible factors influencing food selection among Malaysians.