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Dihydroceramide-desaturase-1-mediated caspase 9 activation through ceramide plays a pivotal role in palmitic acid-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis

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Abstract

In this study, results showed that the inhibition of PA-induced HepG2 cell growth takes place in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, that activation of caspase 9 is necessary for PA-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis, that dihydroceramide desaturase 1 (DES1) plays a key role in PA-mediated caspase 9 and caspase 3 activation, and that palmitoleic acid (POA), an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid, reverses PA-induced apoptosis through DES1 → Ceramide → Caspase 9 → Caspase 3 signaling.

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Acknowledgments

The present study was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81360309, 81572738, and 81270898), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (No. 2014GXNSFAA118194, 2015GXNSFEA139003), the Medical Health Appropriate Technology Research and Development Project from the Health and Family Planning Commission in Guangxi (No. S201407-06), the Scientific Research and Technology Development Project of Guilin (No. 20140310-2-1), “Sphingolipids and Related Diseases” Program for Innovative Research Team of Guilin Medical University, and Hundred Talents Program under the Introduction of Overseas High-Level Talents in Colleges and Universities in Guangxi. This research was also supported by Guangxi Distinguished Experts Special Fund.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China

      Qun Zhu, Jianjun Yang, Rongping Zhu, Songqing He & Junfei Jin

    2. Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 210011, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

      Qun Zhu

    3. China-USA Lipids in Health and Disease Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China

      Qun Zhu & Junfei Jin

    4. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine in Liver Injury and Repair, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China

      Xin Jiang, Wanlian Li, Songqing He & Junfei Jin

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    1. Qun Zhu
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    Correspondence to Songqing He or Junfei Jin.

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    Q. Zhu and J. Yang authors contributed equally to this work.

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    Zhu, Q., Yang, J., Zhu, R. et al. Dihydroceramide-desaturase-1-mediated caspase 9 activation through ceramide plays a pivotal role in palmitic acid-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis. Apoptosis 21, 1033–1044 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10495-016-1267-9

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