Background and Aim:  This study analyzes the effect of the val227ala variant of the peroxisome proliferators‐activated receptor‐alpha (PPAR‐α) on non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods:  79 patients with NAFLD and 63 healthy counterparts were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI), hip, waist, waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure (BP), the percentage of body fat, total protein, albumin, ALT, triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL and fasting blood glucose were assessed. The genotypes were analyzed using oligonucleotide microarray. Logistic model was used to perform the multi‐factors synthetical analysis on the data obtained to screen the risk factors closely associated with Val227Ala polymorphism of PPAR‐α gene.

Results:  There were 6.33% (5/79) subjects with CC/CT genotype (ala227ala and val227ala) and 93.67% (74/79) subjects with TT genotype (val227val) in patients with NAFLD, and there were 20.63% (13/63) with CC/CT genotype and 79.37% (50/63) subjects with TT genotype. The distribution of PPAR‐α val227ala polymorphism between NAFLD and healty subjects was significant (p = 0.011). The level of weight, body mass index, hip circumference, waist circumference, waist‐hip ratio, percentage of body fat, abdominal wall fat thickness in subjects with Val227Ala variant were significantly lower than that in Val227wide type. The results showed that waist circumference and WHR were related with the PPAR‐α val227ala polymorphism.

Conclusion:  PPAR‐α val227ala polymorphism may be involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and play a protective role in obesity.