Arachidonic acid modulates the cellular energetics of human pluripotent stem cells and protects the embryoid bodies from embryotoxicity effects in vitro

Arachidonic acid (AA), an 03-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid involved in signalling pathways that drive cell fate decisions, has an enhancing role in the immunomodulatory effect on mesenchymal stem cells and the vasculogenesis of embryonic stem cells. 3D embryoid bodies (EBs) from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have been used as in vitro models for embryotoxicity for various compounds/drugs. Valproic acid (VA), a common anti-epileptic drug, is known to be embryotoxic and cause malformations in embryos. As early embryogenesis depends on AA, we investigated the embryo protective effects of AA against the embryotoxic drug VA in this study. The effects of AA on the proliferation and cell cycle parameters of PSCs were studied. In particular, the potential of AA to abrogate VA-induced embryotoxicity in vitro was evaluated using ROS detection and antioxidant assays. In response to AA, we observed modulation in cell proliferation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and pluripotent NTERA-2 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. The present study substantiates the cytoprotective effects of AA against VA. These results imply that AA plays a critical role in the proliferation and differentiation of iPSCs and EC cells and protects the EBs from cytotoxic damage, thereby ensuring normal embryogenesis. Thus, the bioactive lipid AA may be explored for supplementation to benefit pregnant women treated with long-term antiepileptic drugs to prevent in-utero fetal growth malformations.

Automated summary

This study investigated the protective effects of arachidonic acid (AA) against the embryotoxic drug valproic acid (VA). The results showed that AA played an important regulatory role in the proliferation and differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and pluripotent NTERA-2 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, and protected the embryoid bodies (EBs) from cytotoxic damage, ensuring normal embryogenesis.