OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective mechanism of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) over-expression against the pro-apoptotic affects of palmitic acid on hepatocytes using the rat BRL cell line.

METHODSConcentration effect curves were generated using the trypan blue exclusion test to assess the death rate of BRL cells upon exposure to a dilution series of palmitic acid. The multiplicity of infection (MOI) of a lentiviral expression vector, pGC-FU-GFP, was determined for the BRL cells. Unmanipulated BRL cells were divided into two groups: the non-palmitate groups were composed of ordinary cultured cells (CON) alone, infected with lentivirus empty expression vector (negative control, NC), and infected with lentivirus overexpressing SCD1 (SCD1-LV); the palmitate groups were composed of ordinary cultured cells plus palmitate (CON+) alone, infected with lentivirus empty expression vector plus palmitate (NC+), and infected with lentivirus overexpressing SCD1 plus palmitate (SCD1-LV+). SCD1 mRNA expression was detected by real-time PCR. Propidium iodide (PI) single-staining was used to detect apoptosis and assess the cell cycle. Inter-group differences were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSThe death rate of BRL cells increased significantly after 72 h of exposure to 400 mumol/L palmitate (P less than 0.01). The MOI of pGC-FU-GFP in BRL cells was 20. The expression of SCD1 was significantly higher in the SCD1-LV and SCD1-LV+ groups than in the respective controls (vs. CON: F = 289, P less than 0.01; vs. CON+: F = 1522, P less than 0.01). Palmitate exposure led to decreased expression of SCD1 (CON+ vs. CON, F = 22, P less than 0.05 and NC+ vs. NC: F = 34, P less than 0.05). The ratio of S stage cells was similar in all non-palmitate groups (CON, NC and SCD1-LV, P = 0.137). However, there was a significant apoptotic peak and lower ratio of S stage cells in the control palmitate groups (CON+ and NC+) and the activity of cell proliferation was decreased as well. The ratio of apoptotic cells was decreased significantly in the SCD1-LV+ group compared to the CON+ group (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of SCD1 and its desaturation activity increased in BRL cells upon infection with the pGC-FU-SCD1-GFP lentiviral vector, suggesting that SCD1 over-expression can decrease palmitic acid-induced toxicity and apoptosis in hepatocytes.