Saturated Oxo Fatty Acids (SOFAs): A Previously Unrecognized Class of Endogenous Bioactive Lipids Exhibiting a Cell...

Area of Science:

• Lipidomics
• Biochemistry
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• The identification of novel bioactive lipids is crucial for understanding human health.
• Oxidized fatty acids represent a class of lipids with significant biological implications.
• Existing lipidomic techniques require enhancement for comprehensive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discover and characterize previously unrecognized classes of oxidized fatty acids in human plasma.
• To synthesize identified oxidized fatty acids for further biological evaluation.
• To investigate the potential anti-cancer properties of these novel lipids.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a combination of "suspect" and targeted lipidomic liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) for lipid identification.
• Synthesized a library of saturated oxo fatty acids (SOFAs) using a green photochemical hydroacylation reaction.
• Assessed the in vitro effects of synthesized SOFAs on the cell growth of human cancer cell lines.

Main Results:

• Identified a novel class of oxidized fatty acids, saturated oxo fatty acids (SOFAs), in human plasma.
• Synthesized a library of SOFAs, including four oxostearic acids (OSAs).
• Demonstrated that 6OSA and 7OSA significantly inhibit the cell growth of human lung carcinoma A549 cells by suppressing STAT3 and c-myc expression.

Conclusions:

• Naturally occurring SOFAs represent a newly discovered class of bioactive lipids.
• Specific SOFAs, like 6OSA and 7OSA, possess potent anti-cancer properties.
• SOFAs may play a significant role in the body's natural defense mechanisms and overall health protection.