Long-chain fatty acid activates hepatocytes through CD36 mediated oxidative stress

Accumulating evidence suggests that activated hepatocytes are involved in the deposition of the excess extracellular matrix during liver fibrosis via the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Lipid accumulation in hepatocytes are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic liver injury. CD36 is known to mediate long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) uptake and lipid metabolism. However, it is unclear whether LCFA directly promotes hepatocyte activation and the involved mechanisms have not been fully clarified.

Mice were fed with a high fat diet (HFD) and normal hepatocyte cells (Chang liver cells) were treated with palmitic acid (PA) in vivo and in vitro. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to examine the gene and protein expression of molecules involved in hepatic fibrogenesis and hepatocyte activation. CD36 was knocked down by transfecting CD36 siRNA into hepatocyte cells. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected using commercial kits.

HFD induced a profibrogenic response and up-regulated CD36 expression in vivo. Analogously, PA increased lipid accumulation and induced human hepatocyte activation in vitro, which was also accompanied by increased CD36 expression. Interestingly, knockdown of CD36 resulted in a reduction of hepatocyte lipid deposition and decreased expression of Acta2 (34% decrease), Vimentin (29% decrease), Desmin (60% decrease), and TGF-β signaling pathway related genes. In addition, HFD and PA increased the production of H₂O₂ in vivo (48% increase) and in vitro (385% increase), and the antioxidant, NAC, ameliorated PA-induced hepatocyte activation. Furthermore, silencing of CD36 in vitro markedly attenuated PA-induced oxidative stress (H₂O₂: 41% decrease; ROS: 39% decrease), and the anti-activation effects of CD36 knockdown could be abolished by pretreatment with H₂O₂.

Our study demonstrated that LCFA facilitates hepatocyte activation by up-regulating oxidative stress through CD36, which could be an important mechanism in the development of hepatic fibrosis.