Oleic acid promotes lung injury in hypertriglyceridaemia-associated acute pancreatitis via the PIEZO1/NR4A1/CPT1A axis impairing endothelial fatty acid oxidation.

Elevated plasma oleic acid in hypertriglyceridaemia-associated acute pancreatitis is linked to increased acute lung injury severity via the PIEZO1/NR4A1/CPT1A pathway.

• Why it matters: Understanding how free fatty acids like oleic acid contribute to lung injury in HTG-AP is crucial for developing targeted therapies, as the mechanisms underlying endothelial barrier disruption remain unclear.
• What they did: The study analyzed clinical samples, used an HTG-AP mouse model, and stimulated human endothelial cells to investigate the relationship between oleic acid and ALI, focusing on the PIEZO1-mediated impairment of fatty acid oxidation.
• The result: Findings show oleic acid activates PIEZO1, suppresses NR4A1 and CPT1A, impairs fatty acid oxidation, and disrupts endothelial barriers; endothelial-specific Piezo1 knockdown alleviates ALI, suggesting potential therapeutic targets.