Regulation of Cytoplasmic Lipid Droplet Formation by Phytochemicals

Accumulation of excess lipid droplets in adipose tissue as well as non-adipose tissues such as muscle, heart, liver, and cancer cells is a pathogenic phenotype related with obesity and its associated diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and fatty liver disease. Polyphenolic phytochemicals mostly found in fruits and vegetables have been reported to be beneficial to the health by reducing the risk of certain types of cancer, and obesity-associated disorders. These are largely through their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and inhibitory role in cellular signaling pathways. The role of many phytochemicals in lipid metabolism in adipose tissue has been previously studied; their function in lipid droplet formation is unknown. The objective of this study is to screen polyphenols, which effectively prevent or inhibit lipid droplet formation in HeLa cells, human cervical cancer cells.  To achieve this, lipid droplet formation in HeLa cells were treated with phytochemicals; such as piceatannol, resveratrol, curcumin, apigenin, myricetin, delphinidin, luteolin, and butein; and, was induced by oleic acid treatment. Newly generated lipid droplets were stained by Oil Red O, a lipid soluble dye, and then extracted for a quantitative analysis of lipid formation. Phytochemicals that significantly prevent or inhibit lipid droplet formation will be further subjected to molecular mechanism studies to elucidate their mode of actions.