Polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit mouse hepatic glucocorticoid receptor activation in vitro

Abstract

The effect of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) stearic and palmitic acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids was studied on in vitro heat activation of mouse hepatic glucocorticoid receptor (GR) complex, as assessed by binding to DNA-cellulose and purified nuclei. Significant dose-dependent inhibition of heat activation of hormone-receptor com-plex by the PUFAs was observed. Linoleic and arachidonic acids were found to be more potent (caused ~70% inhibition maximally at 160 μM) inhibitors of GR heat activation, compared to oleic acid (~38% inhibition at 40 μM). However, stearic and palmitic acids were unable to modulate GR heat activation, suggesting that the unsaturated moieties in PUFAs are possibly the important determinants of receptor activation. Thus, our study shows an inhibitory effect of PUFAs on in vitro hepatic GR activation.