Elephant seal cells export iron and form lipid droplets to evade lipid peroxidation

Primary vascular endothelial cells from elephant seals resist oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation and cell death, linked to ACSL3-driven lipid droplet formation and ferroportin-1–mediated iron export.

• Why it matters: Repeated hypoxia/reoxygenation during up to two-hour dives would normally trigger severe lipid peroxidation and tissue dysfunction, yet seals avoid this in a way most species cannot.
• What they did: The study used comparative transcriptomics and lipidomics across seal, human, and sheep cells after hydroperoxide exposure, then tested protection by ACSL3 silencing and FPN1 inhibition.
• The result: Seal cells show uniquely regulated lipid metabolism and iron handling, enriched triglycerides and monounsaturated fatty acids, and partial sensitization with ACSL3 silencing or FPN1 inhibition, supporting lipid sequestration plus active iron export.

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