Hepatic stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 is specifically suppressed by dextran sodium sulfate but does not influence colitis sensitivity

The delta-9 desaturase stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) catalyzes the conversion of saturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and is highly expressed in liver and adipocytes. Previous studies have demonstrated that treating mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), a chemical inducer of ulcerative colitis, results in severe downregulation of SCD1 in the liver. However, the specific role of hepatic SCD1 in modulating colitis severity, as well as the impact of DSS on SCD1 and other lipogenic factors in other tissues has not been investigated. Here we show that downregulation of hepatic SCD1 following DSS treatment is not accompanied by changes to other lipogenic genes in the liver. In contrast, adipose tissue demonstrates coordinated reductions in lipogenic genes, including SCD1 and SCD2, while the colon does not display any perturbation of these targets. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the downregulation of hepatic SCD1 occurs independently of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and does not require an intact gut microbiome. Interestingly, a distinct model of colitis induced by IL-10 deficiency does not result in downregulation of hepatic SCD1. Concomitant with transcriptional changes, DSS treatment is associated with significant remodeling of the hepatic lipidome, including reductions in total phospholipids (PLs) and reduced MUFA-containing PLs and triacyglycerols (TAGs), consistent with the observed reduction in SCD1. Interestingly, hepatic cholesterol esters and plasma lipids including free cholesterol and glycerophospholipids were significantly elevated following DSS treatment. Given the significant reduction in hepatic SCD1 following DSS treatment, we tested a role for liver SCD1 in modulating colitis sensitivity. Mice with a targeted deletion of hepatic SCD1 were not more prone to colitis, indicating that the loss of hepatic SCD1, while a consequence of DSS-induced colitis, does not mediate colitis sensitivity in vivo.