APOE genotype dictates lipidomic signatures in primary human hepatocytes

• Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genetic variants are most notably known for their divergent impact on the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. While APOE genotype has been consistently shown to modulate lipid metabolism in a variety of cellular contexts, the effect of APOE alleles on the lipidome in hepatocytes is unknown. In this study, we investigated the contribution of APOE alleles to lipidomic profiles of donor -derived primary human hepatocytes from 77 subjects. Lipidomic data obtained by liquid chromatography -mass spectrometry were analyzed across e2/e3, e3/e3, and e3/e4 genotypes to reveal how APOE modulates lipid relative levels over age and between groups. Hepatic APOE concentration, measured by ELISA, was assessed for correlation with lipid abundance in subjects grouped as per APOE genotype and sex. APOE genotype -specific differential lipidomic signatures associated with age for multiple lipid classes but did not differ between sexes. Compared to e2/e3, e3/e4 hepatocytes had higher abundance of acylcarnitines (AC) and acylphosphatidylglycerol (AcylPG) as a class, as well as higher medium and long -chain ACs, AcylPG, phosphatidylglycerol (PG), bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate (BMP), monoacylglycerol (MG) and diacylglycerol (DG) species. The e3/e4 hepatocytes also exhibited a higher abundance of medium and long -chain ACs compared to the e3/e3 hepatocytes. Only in the e3/e4 hepatocytes, APOE concentration was lower and showed a negative correlation with BMP levels, specifically in females. APOE genotype dictates a differential lipidome in primary human hepatocytes. The lipids involved suggest mitochondrial dysfunction with accompanying alterations in neutral lipid storage, reflective of a general disturbance of free fatty acid metabolism in human hepatocytes with the e4 allele.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Apolipoprotein E

acylcarnitines

Alzheimer's disease

genetic risk factor

hepatic lipids

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)