Comparative toxicity of oleic acid and linoleic acid on Raji cells.
OBJECTIVE
Parenteral diets are often administered to critically ill patients. To study one of the effects of commercially available parenteral lipid diets, rich in triacylglycerol esters of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids or omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids, on the immune system of such patients, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of oleic and linoleic acids on Raji cells that had been derived from human B-lymphocytes.


METHODS
Cell death intensity and type were investigated by flow cytometry by quantitation of cell volume, granularity, DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial depolarization, and lipid accumulation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to determine chromatin condensation and type of cell death (acridine orange/ethidium bromide assay). Gene expression of BCL-XL, BCL-XS, C-MYC, and P53 was studied by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Oleic acid was less toxic than linoleic acid to Raji cells. Both fatty acids promote apoptosis and necrosis of these cells. The mechanism of cell death induced by these fatty acids seemed to involve mitochondrial depolarization, lipid accumulation, and overexpression of C-MYC and P53.


CONCLUSIONS
Oleic acid may offer a less harmful alternative to linoleic acid in parenteral diets with respect to patient B-lymphocyte-mediated immunologic activity.
Cury-Boaventura
Maria Fernanda
MF
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. mafecury@fisio.icb.usp.br
Pompéia
Celine
C
Curi
Rui
R
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002843:Chromatin / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D012313:RNA / Q000187:drug effects; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
D002843:Chromatin; D019301:Oleic Acid; D012313:RNA; D019787:Linoleic Acid