Exposure to resveratrol triggers pharmacological correction of fatty acid utilization in human fatty acid oxidation-deficient fibroblasts

Carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2 (CPT2) and very-long-chain Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiencies are among the most common inborn mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) disorders. Despite advances in their clinical and molecular characterizations, few therapeutic approaches exist for these diseases. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenol extensively studied for its potential health benefits. Indeed, it is presently thought that RSV could delay the onset of some cancers, and have protective effects against common aging disorders such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular or neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we show that exposure to RSV induces a dose-and time-dependant increase in FAO flux in human fibroblasts, and can restore normal FAO capacities in a panel of patients' fibroblasts with the mild forms (harboring various genotypes) of CPT2 or VLCAD deficiency. The correction of FAO flux correlated with a marked increase in mutant CPT2 or VLCAD protein level, in cells treated by RSV. Inhibition of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) by Sirtinol and the use of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator-1-alpha (PGC-1 alpha) small interfering RNAs demonstrate that the RSV-induced stimulation of FAO requires the presence of PGC-1 alpha and SIRT1. These results show, for the first time, that RSV markedly induces mitochondrial FAO capacities in human fibroblasts, and provides the initial proof-of-concept that RSV might be efficient for correction of inherited FAO disorders.