Cited by 62Liver Disease Diagnosis and TreatmentLiver physiology and pathologyLiver Diseases and Immunity

Saturated free fatty acids induce cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis

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Natarajan, Sathish Kumar, Ingham, Sally A., Mohr, Ashley M., Wehrkamp, Cody J., Ray, Anuttoma, Roy, Sohini, Cazanave, Sophie C., Phillippi, Mary Anne +1 more·2014·Hepatology

Abstract

UNLABELLED: Recent studies have identified a cholestatic variant of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with portal inflammation and ductular reaction. Based on reports of biliary damage, as well as increased circulating free fatty acids (FFAs) in NAFLD, we hypothesized the involvement of cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis as a mechanism of cellular injury. Here, we demonstrate that the saturated FFAs palmitate and stearate induced robust and rapid cell death in cholangiocytes. Palmitate and stearate induced cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in multiple cholangiocyte-derived cell lines. The mechanism of lipoapoptosis relied on the activation of caspase 3/7 activity. There was also a significant up-regulation of the proapoptotic BH3-containing protein, PUMA. In addition, palmitate-induced cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis involved a time-dependent increase in the nuclear localization of forkhead family of transcription factor 3 (FoxO3). We show evidence for posttranslational modification of FoxO3, including early (6 hours) deacetylation and dephosphorylation that coincide with localization of FoxO3 in the nuclear compartment. By 16 hours, nuclear FoxO3 is both phosphorylated and acetylated. Knockdown studies confirmed that FoxO3 and its downstream target, PUMA, were critical for palmitate- and stearate-induced cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis. Interestingly, cultured cholangiocyte-derived cells did not accumulate appreciable amounts of neutral lipid upon FFA treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data show that the saturated FFAs palmitate and stearate induced cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis by way of caspase activation, nuclear translocation of FoxO3, and increased proapoptotic PUMA expression. These results suggest that cholangiocyte injury may occur through lipoapoptosis in NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients.

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Crossref · 10.1002/hep.27175

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  • Cholangiocytes can undergo lipoapoptosis and senescence when exposed to increased saturated fatty acids, releasing DAMPs, SASP factors such as CCL2, and SPP1 that activate HSCs and generate fibrosis.

    “Like hepatocytes, cholangiocytes can undergo lipoapoptosis and senescence in the presence of increased saturated fatty acids, which may provoke release of damage-associated molecular patterns, senescence-associated secretory patterns (such as chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2)), and SPP1, which activate HSCs to generate fibrosis (37-40).”
  • Fatty acid-induced lipotoxicity results in cellular stress of hepatocytes, cholangiocytes and HSCs.

    “Fatty acid (FA)-induced lipotoxicity results in cellular stress of hepatocytes,11 but also cholangiocytes25 and HSCs.26”

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Authors
Natarajan, S. K., Ingham, S. A., Mohr, A. M., Wehrkamp, C. J., Ray, A., Roy, S., Cazanave, S. C., Phillippi, M. A., & Mott, J. L.
Affiliations
  • Nebraska Medical Center (US)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
Corresponding author
Mott, Justin L.
Venue
Hepatology
Published
2014-06-20
Volume
60
Issue
6
Pages
1942-1956
ISSN
  • 0270-9139 (ISSN-L)
  • 1527-3350
OpenAlex
W2115873611
Cited by
62
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
FWCI
3.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Hepatology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Lincoln (University of Nebraska) (submittedVersion)
  • DigitalCommons@UNMC (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center
  • University of Nebraska Medical Center
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver physiology and pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver Diseases and Immunity
Keywords
lipoapoptosis, cholangiocytes, saturated free fatty acids, palmitate, stearate, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, caspase-3/7 activation, PUMA, FOXO3, post-translational modification, nuclear translocation, cholangiocyte injury
MeSH terms
Forkhead Box Protein O3, Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic, Enzyme Activation, Fatty Acids, Nonesterified, Fatty Liver, Humans, Palmitates, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Apoptosis, Caspases, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases, Cell Line, Tumor, Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins, Forkhead Transcription Factors

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