Inhibition of Serine Palmitoyl Transferase I Reduces Cardiac Ceramide Levels and Increases Glycolysis Rates following Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance

Objective: Diet-induced obesity (DIO) leads to an accumulation of intra-myocardial lipid metabolites implicated in causing cardiac insulin resistance and contractile dysfunction. One such metabolite is ceramide, and our aim was to determine the effects of inhibiting de novo ceramide synthesis on cardiac function and insulin stimulated glucose utilization in mice subjected to DIO. Materials and Methods: C57BL/6 mice were fed a low fat diet or subjected to DIO for 12 weeks, and then treated for 4 weeks with either vehicle control or the serine palmitoyl transferase I (SPT I) inhibitor, myriocin. In vivo cardiac function was assessed via ultrasound echocardiography, while glucose metabolism was assessed in isolated working hearts. Results: DIO was not associated with an accumulation of intra-myocardial ceramide, but rather, an accumulation of intra-myocardial DAG (2.63±0.41 vs. 4.80±0.97 nmol/g dry weight). Nonetheless, treatment of DIO mice with myriocin decreased intra-myocardial ceramide levels (50.3±7.7 vs. 26.9±2.7 nmol/g dry weight) and prevented the DIO-associated increase in intra-myocardial DAG levels. Interestingly, although DIO impaired myocardial glycolysis rates (7789±1267 vs. 2671±326 nmol/min/g dry weight), hearts from myriocin treated DIO mice exhibited an increase in glycolysis rates. Conclusions: Our data reveal that although intra-myocardial ceramide does not accumulate following DIO, inhibition of de novo ceramide synthesis nonetheless reduces intra-myocardial ceramide levels and prevents the accumulation of intra-myocardial DAG. These effects improved the DIO-associated impairment of cardiac glycolysis rates, suggesting that SPT I inhibition increases cardiac glucose utilization. © 2012 Ussher et al.published_or_final_versio

Bidirectional lipid droplet velocities are controlled by differential binding strengths of HCV Core DII protein

Host cell lipid droplets (LD) are essential in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle and are targeted by the viral capsid core protein. Core-coated LDs accumulate in the perinuclear region and facilitate viral particle assembly, but it is unclear how mobility of these LDs is directed by core. Herein we used two-photon fluorescence, differential interference contrast imaging, and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopies, to reveal novel core-mediated changes to LD dynamics. Expression of core protein’s lipid binding domain II (DII-core) induced slower LD speeds, but did not affect directionality of movement on microtubules. Modulating the LD binding strength of DII-core further impacted LD mobility, revealing the temporal effects of LD-bound DII-core. These results for DII-core coated LDs support a model for core-mediated LD localization that involves core slowing down the rate of movement of LDs until localization at the perinuclear region is accomplished where LD movement ceases. The guided localization of LDs by HCV core protein not only is essential to the viral life cycle but also poses an interesting target for the development of antiviral strategies against HCV

ApoB100-LDL Acts as a Metabolic Signal from Liver to Peripheral Fat Causing Inhibition of Lipolysis in Adipocytes

International audienceBACKGROUND: Free fatty acids released from adipose tissue affect the synthesis of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins and glucose metabolism in the liver. Whether there also exists a reciprocal metabolic arm affecting energy metabolism in white adipose tissue is unknown. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We investigated the effects of apoB-containing lipoproteins on catecholamine-induced lipolysis in adipocytes from subcutaneous fat cells of obese but otherwise healthy men, fat pads from mice with plasma lipoproteins containing high or intermediate levels of apoB100 or no apoB100, primary cultured adipocytes, and 3T3-L1 cells. In subcutaneous fat cells, the rate of lipolysis was inversely related to plasma apoB levels. In human primary adipocytes, LDL inhibited lipolysis in a concentration-dependent fashion. In contrast, VLDL had no effect. Lipolysis was increased in fat pads from mice lacking plasma apoB100, reduced in apoB100-only mice, and intermediate in wild-type mice. Mice lacking apoB100 also had higher oxygen consumption and lipid oxidation. In 3T3-L1 cells, apoB100-containing lipoproteins inhibited lipolysis in a dose-dependent fashion, but lipoproteins containing apoB48 had no effect. ApoB100-LDL mediated inhibition of lipolysis was abolished in fat pads of mice deficient in the LDL receptor (Ldlr(-/-)Apob(100/100)). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the binding of apoB100-LDL to adipocytes via the LDL receptor inhibits intracellular noradrenaline-induced lipolysis in adipocytes. Thus, apoB100-LDL is a novel signaling molecule from the liver to peripheral fat deposits that may be an important link between atherogenic dyslipidemias and facets of the metabolic syndrome

High-Throughput Screening of Australian Marine Organism Extracts for Bioactive Molecules Affecting the Cellular Storage of Neutral Lipids

Mammalian cells store excess fatty acids as neutral lipids in specialised organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). Using a simple cell-based assay and open-source software we established a high throughput screen for LD formation in A431 cells in order to identify small bioactive molecules affecting lipid storage. Screening an n-butanol extract library from Australian marine organisms we identified 114 extracts that produced either an increase or a decrease in LD formation in fatty acid-treated A431 cells with varying degrees of cytotoxicity. We selected for further analysis a non-cytotoxic extract derived from the genus Spongia (Heterofibria). Solvent partitioning, HPLC fractionation and spectroscopic analysis (NMR, MS) identified a family of related molecules within this extract with unique structural features, a subset of which reduced LD formation. We selected one of these molecules, heterofibrin A1, for more detailed cellular analysis. Inhibition of LD biogenesis by heterofibrin A1 was observed in both A431 cells and AML12 hepatocytes. The activity of heterofibrin A1 was dose dependent with 20 µM inhibiting LD formation and triglyceride accumulation by ∼50% in the presence of 50 µM oleic acid. Using a fluorescent fatty acid analogue we found that heterofibrin A1 significantly reduces the intracellular accumulation of fatty acids and results in the formation of distinct fatty acid metabolites in both cultured cells and in embryos of the zebrafish Danio rerio. In summary we have shown using readily accessible software and a relatively simple assay system that we can identify and isolate bioactive molecules from marine extracts, which affect the formation of LDs and the metabolism of fatty acids both in vitro and in vivo

A Role for Phosphatidic Acid in the Formation of “Supersized” Lipid Droplets

Lipid droplets (LDs) are important cellular organelles that govern the storage and turnover of lipids. Little is known about how the size of LDs is controlled, although LDs of diverse sizes have been observed in different tissues and under different (patho)physiological conditions. Recent studies have indicated that the size of LDs may influence adipogenesis, the rate of lipolysis and the oxidation of fatty acids. Here, a genome-wide screen identifies ten yeast mutants producing “supersized” LDs that are up to 50 times the volume of those in wild-type cells. The mutated genes include: FLD1, which encodes a homologue of mammalian seipin; five genes (CDS1, INO2, INO4, CHO2, and OPI3) that are known to regulate phospholipid metabolism; two genes (CKB1 and CKB2) encoding subunits of the casein kinase 2; and two genes (MRPS35 and RTC2) of unknown function. Biochemical and genetic analyses reveal that a common feature of these mutants is an increase in the level of cellular phosphatidic acid (PA). Results from in vivo and in vitro analyses indicate that PA may facilitate the coalescence of contacting LDs, resulting in the formation of “supersized” LDs. In summary, our results provide important insights into how the size of LDs is determined and identify novel gene products that regulate phospholipid metabolism

Trafficking of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein during Virus Particle Assembly

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is directed to the surface of lipid droplets (LD), a step that is essential for infectious virus production. However, the process by which core is recruited from LD into nascent virus particles is not well understood. To investigate the kinetics of core trafficking, we developed methods to image functional core protein in live, virus-producing cells. During the peak of virus assembly, core formed polarized caps on large, immotile LDs, adjacent to putative sites of assembly. In addition, LD-independent, motile puncta of core were found to traffic along microtubules. Importantly, core was recruited from LDs into these puncta, and interaction between the viral NS2 and NS3-4A proteins was essential for this recruitment process. These data reveal new aspects of core trafficking and identify a novel role for viral nonstructural proteins in virus particle assembly

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and energy efficiency in weight loss diets

Carbohydrate restriction as a strategy for control of obesity is based on two effects: a behavioral effect, spontaneous reduction in caloric intake and a metabolic effect, an apparent reduction in energy efficiency, greater weight loss per calorie consumed. Variable energy efficiency is established in many contexts (hormonal imbalance, weight regain and knock-out experiments in animal models), but in the area of the effect of macronutrient composition on weight loss, controversy remains. Resistance to the idea comes from a perception that variable weight loss on isocaloric diets would somehow violate the laws of thermodynamics, that is, only caloric intake is important ("a calorie is a calorie"). Previous explanations of how the phenomenon occurs, based on equilibrium thermodynamics, emphasized the inefficiencies introduced by substrate cycling and requirements for increased gluconeogenesis. Living systems, however, are maintained far from equilibrium, and metabolism is controlled by the regulation of the rates of enzymatic reactions. The principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics which emphasize kinetic fluxes as well as thermodynamic forces should therefore also be considered