Shen Xinyi, Miao Shuo, Zhang Yaping, Guo Xingying, Li Wenxian, Mao Xin, Zhang Qingsong
Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China; School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Clin Nutr. 2025 Jan;44:222-238. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.12.012. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
Named after the Greek term for "hard fat", stearic acid has gradually entered people's field of vision. As an important component of various physiological cellular functions, stearic acid plays a regulatory role in diverse aspects of energy metabolism and signal transduction. Its applications range from serving as a bodily energy source to participating in endogenous biosynthesis. Similar to palmitate, stearic acid serves as a primary substrate for the stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase, which catalyzes the conversion of stearate to oleate and is involved in the synthesis of triglyceride and other complex lipids. Additionally, stearic acid functions as a vital signaling molecule in pathological processes such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes development, liver injury and even nervous system disorders. Therefore, we conduct a comprehensive review of stearic acid, summarizing its role in various diseases and attempting to provide a systematic overview of its homeostasis, physiological functions, and pathological process. From a medical standpoint, we also explore potential applications and discuss stearic acid as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of human diseases.
硬脂酸以希腊语中“硬脂肪”一词命名，逐渐进入人们的视野。作为各种生理细胞功能的重要组成部分，硬脂酸在能量代谢和信号转导的各个方面发挥着调节作用。其应用范围从作为身体能量来源到参与内源性生物合成。与棕榈酸类似，硬脂酸是硬脂酰辅酶A去饱和酶的主要底物，该酶催化硬脂酸转化为油酸，并参与甘油三酯和其他复合脂质的合成。此外，硬脂酸在心血管疾病、糖尿病发展、肝损伤甚至神经系统疾病等病理过程中作为重要的信号分子发挥作用。因此，我们对硬脂酸进行了全面综述，总结其在各种疾病中的作用，并试图对其稳态、生理功能和病理过程提供系统概述。从医学角度来看，我们还探讨了潜在应用，并讨论硬脂酸作为治疗人类疾病的潜在治疗靶点。
