P-596 Impaired fatty acid desaturation in COV434 human granulosa cells leads to increased omega-6 phospholipid abundance
Authors: Fayezi S , Oehms S , Strowitzki T , Germeyer A 
Published: July 2024

Study question

How does fatty acid desaturation in COV434 granulosa cells influence their lipogenic pathway?

Summary answer

Suppressing fatty acid desaturation in human granulosa cells leads to a depletion of polyunsaturated phospholipids and an increase in omega-6 fatty acid-containing lipids.

What is known already

Maintaining the balance between saturated and unsaturated lipids in oocyte-surrounding granulosa cells is crucial to supporting oocyte maturation. We have shown the link between the de novo production of oleic acid through fatty acid desaturation and the main functional parameters of granulosa cells, such as cell proliferation and steroid production. A potential contributor to the observed pathophysiological outcomes lies in the dysregulation of cellular lipids as a consequence of insufficient intracellular oleic acid availability. This lipidomic study investigates the adaptive lipogenic response of granulosa cells to deficient fatty acid desaturation.

Study design, size, duration

We tested the influence of a chemical inhibitor against stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), a major fatty acid desaturase enzyme, on cell membrane lipid packing, lipidome, and lipogenic-related genes in immortalized granulosa cells, COV434. We applied free oleic acid to conduct a rescue experiment. Three independent technical replicates were performed for each experimental condition, and mean values were compared among test conditions using one-way ANOVA analysis.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

The level of membrane fluidity was estimated using the membrane polarity-sensitive dye Laurdan. We used liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to investigate the lipidome profiles. Data were obtained by calculating the peak areas of intact lipid species. We used quantitative PCR with TaqMan primers to assess the expression of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), and fatty acid synthase (FASN), with 18S ribosomal RNA as the internal control.

Main results and the role of chance

Reduced oleic acid availability increased cholesterol content 1.2-fold (p = 0.007) and membrane packing, representing intended modifications in de novo desaturation. We used data comprising 459 lipid species. SCD1 inhibition caused a significant increase in dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid 32:0 (7.4-fold increase vs. untreated controls, p &lt; 0.001) and a substantial decrease in dioleoyl phosphatidic acid 36:2 (-38% reduction, p &lt; 0.001). SCD1 inhibition also led to an elevation of omega-6 phospholipids (e.g., 38:4, 40:4), but conversely, a depletion of polyunsaturated lipids (e.g., 34:2, 36:2). In contrast, oleic acid supplementation resulted in an enrichment of oleic acid-containing lipids (e.g. 34:1, 36:1) but also caused a significant depletion of all polyunsaturated lipids, including omega-6 species (e.g., 20:3, 20:4). These findings indicate that the de novo generation of oleic acid intricately modulates polyunsaturated phospholipid metabolism, especially that of omega-6 phospholipids.Although the reductions in the expression levels of lipogenic-related genes due to SCDinhib treatment were not statistically significant, the addition of oleic acid significantly enhanced the suppression of FASN by 67% (p = 0.022). This suggests the presence of an interaction effect that potentiates the downregulation of the de novo fatty acid synthesis and diverts metabolic pathways away from omega-6 fatty acid production.

Limitations, reasons for caution

Examining lipidomic profile in isolated primary ovarian cells is crucial for a better understanding of their biological significance.

Wider implications of the findings

We identified that the role of de novo oleic acid generation in polyunsaturated phospholipid metabolism has significance for cellular physiology in oocyte-surrounding granulosa cells. Potential future applications include targeted metabolic interventions for reproductive disorders impacting oogenesis.

Trial registration number

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