LIPIDOMICS OF FATTY LIVER IN NAFLD AND HCV INFECTION: LIVER SPHYNGOLIPIDS AND FATTY ACIDS
- Authors: Greco M; Noto D; Petta S; Minà M; Fayer F; Altieri I; Valenti V; Spina R; Craxì A; Averna M
- Publication year: 2011
- Type: Proceedings
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/104735
Abstract
Lipids are used by the liver mainly for energy storage and membrane building, but they also contribute to cell signaling. Fatty liver is characterized by activation of metabolic and inflammatory pathways. In this work differences in lipidomic profiles of sphyngolipids (SL) and fatty acids (FA) have been evaluated in biopsies from 10 NAFLD patients, 22 (14 FL, 8 w/o FL) HCV patients and 13 healthy controls. FL is characterized by increased content of the main FA as myristic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic, saturated and monounsaturated FA in both model. FL of HCV is characterized by a more severe degree of cell damage and fibrosis associated with an increase of palmitoleic acid, long chain SL and desaturase (SCD) activity, measured as oleic/stearic ratio. FL of NAFLD shows a higher degree of metabolic disturbances as increased total cholesterol, triglycerides, HOMA, some long chain FA (C21:0, C22:2, C24:1) and n9 FA. A combination of 6 FA and 4 SL completely resolved the two model of FL (NAFLD, HCV) from non-FL by discriminant analysis. HCV vs healthy non-FL patients showed higher levels of long chain SL. In conclusion FL is characterized by accumulation of the most abundant FA, but only FL of HCV is characterized by increased long chain SL. The accumulation of SL, in particular ceramides, might be responsible of the more severe features of FL due to HCV infection.