Per os administered refined olive oil and marine PUFA-rich oils reach the cornea: possible role on oxidative stress through caveolin-1 modulation.
BACKGROUND
Olive oil and fish oils are known to possess beneficial properties for human health. We investigated whether different oils and fatty acids alone were able to decrease oxidative stress induced on corneal cells.


METHODS
In our in vivo study, rats were fed with marine oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) or refined olive oil during 28 days. At the end of the protocol, corneas were analysed for their fatty acids composition to study the incorporation of fatty acids in cell membranes. In our in vitro study, a human corneal cell line was incubated with marine oils or refined olive oil and subjected to oxidative stress (tBHP 50 muM, 1 hour). Effects on reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondria and caveolin-1 expression were studied using microcytofluorometry, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.


RESULTS
Our results indicate that dietary oils changed the fatty acids composition of corneal cell membranes. According to our results, PUFA-rich oils and refined olive oil (free of antioxidants) blocked reactive oxygen species production. Oleic acid, the major fatty acid of olive oil, also decreased oxidative stress. Moreover, oleic acid modified caveolin-1 expression. Antioxidant properties of oleic acid could be due to disruption of membrane microdomains such as caveolae.


CONCLUSIONS
Oleic acid, a potential potent modulator of oxidative stress, could be added to PUFA-rich oils to prevent oxidative stress-linked corneal pathology.
Dutot
Mélody
M
Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
Liang
Hong
H
Institut de la Vision, Paris, France.
Martin
Chantal
C
Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
Rousseau
Delphine
D
Lipides Membranaires et Fonctions Cardiovasculaires, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-UR1154, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Sud, Châtenay-Malabry, France.
Grynberg
Alain
A
Lipides Membranaires et Fonctions Cardiovasculaires, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-UR1154, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Sud, Châtenay-Malabry, France.
Warnet
Jean-Michel
JM
Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
Rat
Patrice
P
Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.