Eicosapentaenoic acid mitigates palmitic acid-induced heat shock response, inflammation and repair processes in fish intestine.

Understanding the metabolic effects of fatty acids on fish intestine is critical to the substitution of fish oil with vegetable oils in aquaculture. In this study, the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and palmitic acid (PA) on fish intestine were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. As the first step for in vitro study, an intestinal cell line (SPIF) was established from silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus). Thereafter, the effects of EPA and PA on cell viability, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, and the expression of genes related to heat shock response, inflammation, extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and degradation were examined in SPIF cells. Finally, these metabolic effects of EPA and PA on the intestine were examined in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. Results showed that all tested fatty acids (PA, oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) except EPA reduced SPIF viability to distinct degrees at the same concentrations. PA decreased SPIF viability accompanied by an increase in PGE2 level. Meanwhile, PA increased the expression of genes related to heat shock response (grp78, grp94, hsp70, and hsp90) and inflammation (nf-κb, il-1β, and cox2). Furthermore, PA reduced the expression of collagen type I (col1a1a and col1a1b) and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation-related gene mmp2, while up-regulating timp2 mRNA expression. In vivo, PA also increased hsp70, il-1β, and cox2 mRNA levels and limited the expression of collagen type I in the larval zebrafish intestine. Interestingly, the combination of EPA and PA partially recovered the PA-induced changes in cell viability, PGE2 production, and mRNA expression in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that PA may result in heat shock and inflammatory responses, as well as alter ECM formation and degradation in fish intestine, while EPA could at least partially mitigate these negative effects caused by PA.