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Research Article: Palmitic and oleic acids induce macrophage foam cell formation through C/EBP? activation

Date Published: 2026-04-29

Abstract:
Foam cell formation is a critical early event in atherosclerosis. While oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-driven mechanisms are well studied, the contribution of free fatty acids (FFAs), particularly under high-fat dietary intake, is less defined. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ? (C/EBP?), a transcription factor regulating macrophage lipid metabolism, has been implicated, but its epigenetic role in FFA-induced lipid accumulation remains unclear. We exposed RAW 264.7 macrophages and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages to palmitic and oleic acids to model FFA-driven foam cell formation in vitro . Multi-omics approaches, including RNA sequencing and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq), were applied to assess transcriptional and chromatin changes, and C/EBP? deficiency was used to test its functional relevance. Lipid accumulation and CD36 expression were evaluated by BODIPY staining, flow cytometry, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Exposure to palmitic and oleic acids markedly increased intracellular lipid content and induced upregulation of C/EBP? and CD36. Chromatin profiling revealed C/EBP?-dependent accessibility at promoters of genes involved in f atty acids uptake and storage. Silencing of C/EBP? significantly reduced CD36 expression and lipid accumulation, attenuating foam cell formation. These findings establish a novel C/EBP?–CD36 regulatory axis that drives FFA-induced foam cell formation through epigenetic remodeling. This mechanism provides new insight into dietary fatty acids–mediated macrophage reprogramming and suggests potential therapeutic targets for early atherosclerosis and lipid-driven cardiovascular disease.

Introduction:
Foam cell formation is a critical early event in atherosclerosis. While oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-driven mechanisms are well studied, the contribution of free fatty acids (FFAs), particularly under high-fat dietary intake, is less defined. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ? (C/EBP?), a transcription factor regulating macrophage lipid metabolism, has been implicated, but its epigenetic role in FFA-induced lipid accumulation remains unclear.

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