title: Palmitic and stearic fatty acids induce caspase-dependent and -independent cell death in nerve growth factor differentiated PC12 cells.
abstract: Apoptotic cell death has been proposed to play a role in the neuronal loss observed following traumatic injury in the CNS and PNS. The present study uses an in vitro tissue culture model to investigate whether free fatty acids (FFAs), at concentrations comparable to those found following traumatic brain injury, trigger cell death. Nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 cells exposed to oleic and arachidonic acids (2 : 1 ratio FFA/BSA) showed normal cell survival. However, when cells were exposed to stearic and palmitic acids, there was a dramatic loss of cell viability after 24 h of treatment. The cell death induced by stearic acid and palmitic acid was apoptotic as assessed by morphological analysis, and activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3-like activities. Western blotting showed that differentiated PC12 cells exposed to stearic and palmitic acids exhibited the signature apoptotic cleavage fragment of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Interestingly, blockade of caspase activities with the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk failed to prevent the cell death observed induced by palmitic or stearic acid. RT-PCR and RNA blot experiments showed an up-regulation of the Fas receptor and ligand mRNA. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis that FFAs may play a role in the cell death associated with trauma in the CNS and PNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ulloth
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Casiano
authors.forename: Marino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Leon
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013229:Stearic Acids; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D019014:fas Receptor; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019308:Palmitic Acid; C031183:stearic acid; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; C505528:Casp8 protein, rat; C506435:Casp9 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases