Role of Plasma Membrane Lipid Composition on Cellular Homeostasis: Learning from Cell Line Models over Expressing Fatty Acid Desaturases

JAUREGUIBERRY, M. S.; TRICERRI, M. A.; SANCHEZ, S. A.; FINARELLI, G. S.; MONTANARO, M. A.; PRIETO, E. D.; RIMOLDI. O. J.

Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica

ABBS

Lugar: Shanghai; Año: 2014 vol. 46 p. 273 - 282

1745-7270

Experimental evidence suggests that plasma membrane (PM) -associated signaling and hence cell metabolism and viability depend on lipid composition and organization. The aim of this work is to develop a cell model to study the endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) effect on PM properties and analyze its influence on cholesterol (Chol) homeostasis. We have previously shown, using a cell line over-expressing Stearoyl-CoA-Desaturase (SCD), that membrane composition and organization coordinate cellular pathways involved in Chol efflux and cell viability by different mechanisms. Now we expand our studies to a cell model over-expressing both Δ5 and Δ6 desaturases, which results in a permanently higher PUFA content in PM. Furthermore, this cell line showed increased PM fluidity, Chol storage and mitochondrial activity. In addition, human apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I)-mediated Chol removal was less efficient in these cells than in the corresponding control. Altogether, our results suggest that cell functionality is preserved by regulating plasma membrane organization and Chol exportation and homeostasis.