Quantum dots increased fat storage in intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans by influencing molecular basis for fatty acid metabolism.

Caenorhabditis elegans is a useful model animal for fat storage study. In nematodes, CdTe quantum dots (QDs) induced an increase in fat storage in intestine that is partially due to prolonged defecation cycle length, and not attributed to altered feeding or cadmium ion released from CdTe QDs. Moreover, CdTe QDs altered the molecular basis of both synthesis and degradation of fatty acid; however, CdTe QDs did not influence that of degradation of phospholipids. CdTe QDs increased expression of fasn-1 and pod-2 genes encoding enzymes required for fatty acid synthesis, and decreased expression of acs-2 and ech-1 genes encoding enzymes required for fatty acid β-oxidation. The altered molecular basis of fatty acid synthesis or degradation by CdTe QDs acted in intestine to regulate fat storage. Our study highlights the potential of CdTe QDs in influencing lipid metabolism in certain organs or tissues in animals.