Essential fatty acid deficiency in cultured human keratinocytes attenuates toxicity due to lipid peroxidation.
Human keratinocytes are commonly grown in culture with a serum-free medium. Under these conditions, keratinocytes become essential fatty acid deficient (EFAD), as determined by gas chromatographic analysis of cell phospholipid fatty acid composition. Exposure of EFAD keratinocytes for 2 hr to concentrations of t-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) up to 2 mM did not result in toxicity assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and only a small indication of lipid peroxidation assessed by the release of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). Addition of 10 microM linoleic acid (LA) to serum-free medium alleviated the EFAD condition by increasing the phospholipid content of LA and its elongation and desaturation products, arachidonic acid and docosatetraenoic acid. Exposure of LA-supplemented keratinocytes to tBHP resulted in significant LDH (at 1 and 2 mM tBHP) and TBARS (tBHP concentration dependent) release. TBARS release was also significantly elevated in unexposed LA-supplemented keratinocytes (basal release). Co-supplementation with the antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol succinate (TS) prevented tBHP (1 mM)-induced LDH release in LA-supplemented cultures. TS supplementation also attenuated the effect of tBHP on TBARS release, but when compared to TS-supplemented EFAD cultures, LA supplementation still led to increased tBHP-induced TBARS release. Keratinocyte cultures are potentially useful as an alternative to animals in toxicology research and testing. It is important, however, that the cell model provide a response to toxic insult similar to that experienced in vivo. Our results suggest that fatty acid and antioxidant nutrition of cultured keratinocytes are important parameters in mediating the toxic effects of lipid peroxidation.
Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science, Cellular Toxicology Section, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
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D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010545:Peroxides / Q000633:toxicity*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide
D003470:Culture Media; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D010545:Peroxides; D010743:Phospholipids; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase