Effect of 13-Hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic Acid (13-HPODE) Treatment on the Transcriptomic Profile of Poorly-Differentiated Caco-2 Cells

Dietary lipid peroxides (LOOHs) have been linked to gut pathologies including inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. As poorly differentiated (PDiff) intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells represent tumor cells and could model intestinal crypt cells, we investigated the cellular response of PDiff Caco-2 cells to the most common dietary LOOH, 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE), using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Further, we compared the results with the transcriptomic profiles of PDiff cells exposed to linoleic acid (LA) or hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The results showed that 13-HPODE treatment induces expression of genes related to detoxification and several metabolic pathways including glycogen and amino acid metabolism, which may create a tumorigenic environment despite the downregulation of some proliferation-related genes. 13-HPODE also enhanced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling involved in lipid metabolism, homeostasis, and inflammation. Additionally, results indicated that 13-HPODE impacts ribosome biogenesis, phagosome, and mitochondrial function through disrupted electron transport chain, which may contribute to disease development or progression. RNA-seq results were validated using qRT-PCR. This study provides an understanding of PDiff Caco-2 cell response to 13-HPODE and the mechanisms by which 13-HPODE modulates cellular processes that may contribute to disease development or progression.