{
  "abstract": "Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is characterized by hepatic steatosis, metabolic stress, and inflammation. Although free fatty acid (FFA)-based in vitro models are widely used, how OA:PA ratios shape hepatocellular phenotypes remains incompletely characterized. HepG2 cells were treated with oleic acid (OA), palmitic acid (PA), or four OA:PA mixtures (O1P1, O2P1, O3P2, O1P2) for 24 or 48 h. OA and OA:PA mixtures were evaluated at 500 μM total FFA (O2P1: 333.3 μM OA + 166.7 μM PA; O3P2: 300 μM OA + 200 μM PA), whereas PA alone was evaluated at 200 μM. Cell viability, lipid accumulation, ultrastructure, oxidative response, secreted cytokines, and molecular responses were evaluated. Distinct OA:PA ratios generated discrete hepatocellular states rather than a linear steatosis-to-lipotoxicity continuum. O3P2 produced a steatosis-dominant phenotype with pronounced lipid accumulation and relatively limited stress signaling. In contrast, O2P1 combined substantial lipid accumulation with elevated DCF fluorescence, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-associated inflammatory signaling, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion, representing a pronounced stress-responsive phenotype with selected MASH-relevant features. Selected responses were also evaluated in SNU-449 cells, revealing cell-line-specific patterns. Collectively, these findings support a phenotype-oriented framework for OA:PA ratio selection in hepatocyte-based in vitro MASH modeling.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Center for Bio-Imaging & Translational Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju 28119, Republic of Korea."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hangyeon Jeong",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5429-9181"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yesol Han",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-2918-1944"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jiyeong Park",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-2207-2189"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hanbyul Noh"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Eunyoung Moon",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6632-8071"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yanghoon Huh"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c5ms8czztg2xm.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/cells15191774",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13664436",
  "id": "c5ms8czztg2xm",
  "issns": [
    "2073-4409"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882471",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214786303",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13664436?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13664436",
  "pmid": "42882471",
  "published": "2026-09-29",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c5ms8czztg2xm.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42882471",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882471"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2713|Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Distinct OA:PA Ratios Generate Discrete Hepatocellular Phenotypes in HepG2 Cells.",
  "title_text": "Distinct OA:PA Ratios Generate Discrete Hepatocellular Phenotypes in HepG2 Cells.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c5ms8czztg2xm",
  "venue": "Cells",
  "versions": []
}