Free fatty acids enhance the oxidative damage induced by ethanol metabolism in an in vitro model

In recent years, there has been a growing interest to explore the responsiveness to injury in steatotic hepatocyte. VL-17A cells, which express ADH and Cyp2E1 overloaded with free fatty acids (1 mM of oleic and palmitic acid 2:1) showed an increased oxidative damaged after 24 h free fatty acids treatment when exposed to ethanol (100 mM) for 48 h as a second injury. An increment in reactive oxygen species, determined by DCFH-DA, protein oxidation, and apoptosis were observed although an increase in main antioxidant proteins such as superoxide dismutase 1 and glutathione peroxidase were observed, but failed in gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, suggesting a decreased capacity of synthesis of glutathione compared with cells treated only with free fatty acids or ethanol. The increased oxidative stress and toxicity in lipid overloaded VL-17A cells subjected to ethanol exposure were accompanied by increases in Cyp2E1 protein expression. Our data show that lipid loaded in an in vitro model, VL-17A cells, is more susceptible to cell damage and oxidative stress when treated with ethanol.