Project description:In zebrafish, maternally deposited yolk is the source of nutrients for embryogenesis prior to digestive system maturation. Yolk nutrients are processed and secreted to the growing organism by an extra-embryonic tissue, the yolk syncytial layer (YSL). Export of lipid from the YSL occurs through the production of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins. Here we report that mutations in the triacylglycerol synthesis enzyme, diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (Dgat2), cause yolk sac opacity due to aberrant accumulation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets in the YSL. Though triacylglycerol synthesis continues, it is not properly coupled to lipoprotein production as dgat2 mutants produce fewer, smaller, ApoB-containing lipoproteins. Unlike DGAT2-null mice, which are lipopenic and die soon after birth, zebrafish dgat2 mutants are viable, fertile and exhibit normal mass and adiposity. Residual Dgat activity cannot be explained by the activity of other known Dgat isoenzymes, as dgat1a;dgat1b;dgat2 triple mutants continue to produce YSL lipid droplets and remain viable as adults. Further, the newly identified diacylglycerol acyltransferase, Tmem68, is also not responsible for the residual triacylglycerol synthesis activity. Unlike overexpression of Dgat1a and Dgat1b, monoacylglycerol acyltransferase-3 (Mogat3b) overexpression does not rescue yolk opacity, suggesting it does not possess Dgat activity in the YSL. However, mogat3b;dgat2 double mutants exhibit increased yolk opacity and often have structural alterations of the yolk extension. Quadruple mogat3b;dgat1a;dgat1b;dgat2 mutants either have severely reduced viability and stunted growth, or do not survive past 3 days post fertilization, depending on the dgat2 mutant allele present. Our study highlights the remarkable ability of vertebrates to synthesize triacylglycerol through multiple biosynthetic pathways.
Project description:Lipid metabolism is recognized as a key process for stem cell maintenance and differentiation but genetic factors that instruct stem cell function by influencing lipid metabolism remain to be delineated. Here we identify Tnfaip2 as an inhibitor of reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells. Tnfaip2 knockout embryonic stem cells (ESCs) exhibit differentiation failure and knockdown of the planarian orthologue, Smed-exoc3, abrogates in vivo differentiation of somatic stem cells, tissue homeostasis, and regeneration. Tnfaip2 deficient ESCs fail to induce synthesis of cellular triacylglycerol (TAG) and lipid droplets (LD) coinciding with reduced expression of Vimentin (Vim) – a known inducer of LD formation. Knockdown of Vim and Tnfaip2 act epistatically in enhancing cellular reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts. Similarly, planarians devoid of Smed-exoc3 displayed acute loss of TAGs. Supplementation of palmitic acid (PA) and palmitoyl-L-carnitine (a mitochondrial carrier of PA) restores the differentiation capacity of Tnfaip2 deficient ESCs as well as stem cell differentiation and organ maintenance in Smed-exoc3-depleted planarians. Together, these results identify a novel pathway, which is essential for stem cell differentiation and organ maintenance by instructing lipid metabolism.
Project description:Lipid metabolism is recognized as a key process for stem cell maintenance and differentiation but genetic factors that instruct stem cell function by influencing lipid metabolism remain to be delineated. Here we identify Tnfaip2 as an inhibitor of reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells. Tnfaip2 knockout embryonic stem cells (ESCs) exhibit differentiation failure and knockdown of the planarian orthologue, Smed-exoc3, abrogates in vivo differentiation of somatic stem cells, tissue homeostasis, and regeneration. Tnfaip2 deficient ESCs fail to induce synthesis of cellular triacylglycerol (TAG) and lipid droplets (LD) coinciding with reduced expression of Vimentin (Vim) – a known inducer of LD formation. Knockdown of Vim and Tnfaip2 act epistatically in enhancing cellular reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts. Similarly, planarians devoid of Smed-exoc3 displayed acute loss of TAGs. Supplementation of palmitic acid (PA) and palmitoyl-L-carnitine (a mitochondrial carrier of PA) restores the differentiation capacity of Tnfaip2 deficient ESCs as well as stem cell differentiation and organ maintenance in Smed-exoc3-depleted planarians. Together, these results identify a novel pathway, which is essential for stem cell differentiation and organ maintenance by instructing lipid metabolism.
Project description:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major public health burden and it covers a spectrum of diseases. NAFLD starts with the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) within hepatocytes (steatosis). Part of the challenge of studying the mechanistic processes involved in LD accumulation and their implications on the pathogenesis of human NAFLD is due to the available models. Investigating hepatic LDs in humans is challenging and relies on liver biopsies, meaning only cross-sectional data be obtained. On the other hand, LD patterns in in vitro models are poorly defined and rarely reported. Diacylgylcerol acyltransferase (DGAT)2 is one of two enzymes that carry out the final committed step in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis. It is unclear whether the enzymes are able to compensate for each other or whether they have distinct roles. It has been hypothesised that DGAT1 primarily utilises exogenous fatty acids and DGAT2 uses de novo-derived fatty acids. Given the important role of this enzyme in TAG synthesis and accumulation, the aims of this study are first to create a cellular model of intrahepatocellular TAG accumulation by manipulating nutritional substrates and to investigate intracellular metabolism in wildtype and DGAT2 knockout cells under these conditions. The experimental workflow for this study is as follows: Huh7 cells (either wild type or knockout) were grown in media containing 11 mM glucose and 2% human serum (HS) for seven days before additional sugars and fatty acids (FAs) were added for a further seven days. All treatments contained 11 mM glucose and 2% HS, either with 200 µM FAs (low fat low sugar; LFLS), 5.5 mM fructose + 200 µM FAs (low fat high sugar; LFHS) or 5.5 mM fructose + 800 µM FAs (high fat high sugar; HFHS). FA metabolism, lipid droplet characteristics and transcriptomic signatures were investigated.
Project description:The excessive energy is primarily stored as triacylglycerol in lipid droplets in adipocytes, which is hydrolyzed by the actions of lipases upon energy demand. In this study, the potential role of PAK4 in the lipolysis process in adipocytes was investigated. To elucidate functional outcomes, we performed RNA-sequencing analysis using littermate WT and adipose tissue-specific Pak4 KO mice in fasted conditions.
Project description:Brain myeloid cells accumulate neutral lipids in multiple human neurodegenerative disorders and relevant mouse models. These lipid structures are often assumed to be lipid droplets (LDs), and ‘LD-high microglia’ have generally been characterized as maladaptive. While a number of studies have been performed in cell culture and Drosophila models to characterize glial LD dynamics, it is still unclear what roles microglial LD biogenesis play in mammalian tauopathy. To address this question, we induced the deletion of diacylglycerol acyltransferases 1 and 2 (DGATs), enzymes critical for LD formation, from microglia in the PS19 mouse model of tauopathy. We observed that microglial DGAT KO exacerbated neurodegeneration, induced behavioral deficits, and increased the accumulation of brain cholesterol esters in male PS19 mice. Myeloid cell lipids appeared to largely localize to endosomes/lysosomes not LDs, even in control PS19 mice. Our results suggest that microglial DGAT-dependent LD biogenesis is adaptive in advanced tauopathy. Furthermore, the bulk of the lipidic accumulations in brain myeloid cells do not correspond to true LDs, which has important implications for the development of lipid-modulating therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
Project description:The metabolic enzyme diglyceride acyltransferase (DGAT) is responsible for the synthesis of triglycerides. Loss of its expression may sensitize cells to conditions of nutrient and oxygen that are commonly present in tumors. This study is designed to identify stress response pathways that may be induced following the shRNA-mediated knockdown of the two genes coding for the DGAT enzymes. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression following DGAT knockdown in vivo and identified differentially regulated gene sets.
Project description:Several studies have identified a specific metabolic program that is associated with the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Whereas much is known about the association between glucose metabolism and EMT, the contribution of lipid metabolism is not still completely understood. Here, we studied epithelial and mesenchymal breast cancer cells by proteomic and lipidomic approaches and identified significant differences that characterised these models concerning specific metabolic enzymes and metabolites including fatty acids and phospholipids. Higher levels of monounsaturated fatty acids together with increased expression of enzymes of de novo fatty acid synthesis is the distinct signature of epithelial with respect to mesenchymal cells that, on the contrary, show reduced lipogenesis, higher polyunsaturated fatty acids level and increased expression of genes involved in the triglyceride (TAG) synthesis and lipid droplets formation. In the mesenchymal model, the diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT)-1 appears to be the major enzyme involved in TAG synthesis and inhibition of DGAT1, but not DGAT2, drastically reduces the incorporation of labeled palmitate into TAG. Moreover, knockdown of β-catenin demonstrated that this metabolic phenotype in under the control of a network of transcriptional factors and that β-catenin has a specific role in the regulation of lipid metabolism in mesenchymal cells.