Variation in proteomics and metabolomics of chicken hepatocytes exposed to medium with or without folic acid.

Hepatocytes are suitable models for metabolism study. Combined proteomics and metabolomics approaches should provide a comprehensive understanding for the effect of folic acid on hepatic metabolism in vitro. Primary chicken liver cells were exposed to medium with or without folic acid. The combined analyses uncovered 61 differential proteins and 43 differential metabolites between groups with or without folic acid in culture medium. Further pathway annotations revealed that RNA transport, protein processing, TCA cycle, glycolysis, pyruvate metabolism, and so on were significantly enriched. Meanwhile, lipid metabolism was enhanced in no folic acid group along with higher adipose triglyceride lipase, and 2-hydroxybutyric acid level. Concomitantly, amino acid, and carbohydrates metabolism were disturbed. Some amino acids level were changed as well as sugar-acids and sugar-alcohols. In addition, antioxidant function was altered resulting from perturbation of glutathione metabolism, glutamate, and cysteine metabolism. In conclusion, our results indicated that folic acid might affect antioxidant function and metabolism of lipid, amino acid, and carbohydrates in primary chicken hepatocytes via integrating proteomics, and metabolomics analyses method. These results may provide an insight into the effect of folic acid on hepatic metabolism in future research direction.