Investigation of free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1/GPR40) levels in athletes and sedentary individuals

Aim: Free fatty acids have important roles in both the immune system and metabolism. Free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1) is a receptor belonging to the family of free fatty acid (FFA) receptors. It has also been reported that FFAR1 signaling initiated by long-chain fatty acids in pancreatic β cells can facilitate insulin secretion. The effects of exercise on metabolism and the immune system are known, but there is no study on the role of FFAR1 level in these effects. The aim of our study is to contribute to the literature by examining the possible changes in FFAR1 levels between athletes who do regular exercise and sedentary individuals. Material and Method: Changes in mRNA level of FFAR1 gene expression and concentration changes in blood serum from blood samples taken from 41 sedentary and 41 athlete individuals who volunteered to participate in this study and did not have any acute or chronic disease; It was investigated using real-time PCR and ELISA methods. Statistical analysis of the datas obtained was carried out in the SPSS 20.0 package program with a 95% confidence interval of 0.05. Results: It was observed that both the mRNA expression levels and blood serum levels of FFAR1 were statistically significantly lower in athlete individuals than in sedentary individuals. Conclusions: The fact that FFAR1 levels, which facilitate insulin release, are lower in athletes than in sedentary people, may mean that FFAR1 is responsible for at least one of the mechanisms that mediate the possible positive aspects of sports in terms of health. Further research is needed to better understand the effects of FFAR1 levels. Keywords: Free fatty acid, FFAR1, mRNA, insülin, exercise