Response of Primary Human Adipocytes to Fatty Acid Treatment

Abstract

Obesity, nowadays a common disease, due to its complexity can cause many other disorders. In this study, a model of preadipocytes isolated from human adipose tissue was used. Cells after differentiation were additionally fattened with fatty acids such as palmitic, oleic and linoleic. Compared to control cells, obtained cells constitute a strongly reliable research model that mimics obesity occurring in humans. Achieved results have shown that adipocytes treated with fatty acids exhibited a greater number of both ‘large’ and ‘small’ lipid droplets, and an increase in lipid droplet formation and maintenance-related proteins, elevated expression of genes encoding proteins involved in the transport of fatty acids and raised secretion of cholesterol and glutamate. Fattening has also resulted in changes in the phenotype of vimentin filaments and actin cytoskeleton reorganisation. Finally, it has also been observed that hypertrophy of adipocytes was accompanied by modifications in cell metabolism, phenotypic and quantitative changes in mitochondria with a simultaneous downregulation of genes involved in mitochondrial fusion. In summary, the human research model that we propose allowed us to demonstrate several adjustments in cells mimicking the obesity state, which may contribute to expanding knowledge about obesity and improving treatment strategies for this disease.