Branched-chain fatty acids affect the expression of fatty acid synthase and C-reactive protein genes in the hepatocyte cell line

Fatty acids (FAs) are known to play an important role in human metabolism; however, still little is known about the functions of certain FA classes present in blood at relatively low concentrations. Examples of such compounds include branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs). Recently, lowered BCFAs blood concentration was noticed in obese patients. An inverse correlation was found between serum concentrations of BCFAs and triglyceride levels, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration. Obesity is the most frequently observed component of metabolic syndrome and both disorders are accompanied by the dysregulation of FAs metabolism. However, not all of them are well understood. Our study is the first attempt at presenting the opposite effects of an iso-BCFA (14-methylpentadecanoic acid, 14-MPA) and an anteiso-BCFA (12-methyltetradecanoic acid, 12-MTA) on selected genes related to fatty acid synthesis and inflammation: FASN, SREBP1, CRP, and IL-6 in the HepG2 cell line. We observed lowered expression of FASN, SREBP1, CRP, and IL-6 in cells treated with 14-MPA in comparison with control cells. In contrast, supplementation with 12-MTA caused opposite effects: increased mRNA levels of FASN, CRP, and IL-6. 12-MTA did not influence SREBP1 expression. The results of our preliminary study may suggest potential benefits of the supplementation of iso-BCFAs in obese patients, for inflammation and hypertriglyceridemia prevention.