bims-mimbat Biomed News
on Mitochondrial metabolism in brown adipose tissue
Issue of 2023‒05‒14
eight papers selected by
José Carlos de Lima-Júnior
Washington University
  1. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 is a suppressor of the adipocyte thermogenic program.
  2. Cold exposure prevents fat accumulation in striped hamsters refed a high-fat diet following food restriction.
  3. Genetically prolonged beige fat in male mice confers long-lasting metabolic health.
  4. Adverse cardiac remodeling augments adipose tissue ß-adrenergic signaling and lipolysis counteracting diet-induced obesity.
  5. Mitochondrial Ion Channels.
  6. Vesicular glutamate transporters are H+-anion exchangers that operate at variable stoichiometry.
  7. The DedA superfamily member PetA is required for the transbilayer distribution of phosphatidylethanolamine in bacterial membranes.
  8. Lipid flipping in the omega-3 fatty-acid transporter.
  1. Cell Rep. 2023 May 08. pii: S2211-1247(23)00499-0. [Epub ahead of print]42(5): 112488
    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 is a suppressor of the adipocyte thermogenic program.
    Adilson Guilherme, Leslie A Rowland, Nicole Wetoska, Emmanouela Tsagkaraki, Kaltinaitis B Santos, Alexander H Bedard, Felipe Henriques, Mark Kelly, Sean Munroe, David J Pedersen, Olga R Ilkayeva, Timothy R Koves, Lauren Tauer, Meixia Pan, Xianlin Han, Jason K Kim, Christopher B Newgard, Deborah M Muoio, Michael P Czech.
      Disruption of adipocyte de novo lipogenesis (DNL) by deletion of fatty acid synthase (FASN) in mice induces browning in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT). However, adipocyte FASN knockout (KO) increases acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) and malonyl-CoA in addition to depletion of palmitate. We explore which of these metabolite changes triggers adipose browning by generating eight adipose-selective KO mouse models with loss of ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), ACC2, malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) or FASN, or dual KOs ACLY/FASN, ACC1/FASN, and ACC2/FASN. Preventing elevation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA by depletion of adipocyte ACLY or ACC1 in combination with FASN KO does not block the browning of iWAT. Conversely, elevating malonyl-CoA levels in MCD KO mice does not induce browning. Strikingly, adipose ACC1 KO induces a strong iWAT thermogenic response similar to FASN KO while also blocking malonyl-CoA and palmitate synthesis. Thus, ACC1 and FASN are strong suppressors of adipocyte thermogenesis through promoting lipid synthesis rather than modulating the DNL intermediates acetyl-CoA or malonyl-CoA.
    Keywords:  ACC1; CP: Metabolism; FASN; UCP1; acetyl-CoA; adipose tissue; browning; fatty acids; lipogenesis; malonyl-CoA; thermogenesis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112488
  2. BMC Zool. 2022 Apr 18. 7(1): 19
    Cold exposure prevents fat accumulation in striped hamsters refed a high-fat diet following food restriction.
    Da-Liang Huo, Meng-Huan Bao, Jing Cao, Zhi-Jun Zhao.
      BACKGROUND: In mammals, body mass lost during food restriction is often rapidly regained, and fat is accumulated when ad libitum feeding is resumed. Studies in small cold-acclimated mammals have demonstrated significant mobilization of fat deposits during cold exposure to meet the energy requirements of metabolic thermogenesis. However, no studies to our knowledge have examined the effect of cold exposure on fat accumulation during body mass recovery when refed ad libitum. In this study, striped hamsters restricted to 80% of their regular food intake were then refed ad libitum and exposed to one of three conditions: Intermittent cold temperature (5 °C) for 2 h per day (ICE-2 h/d), intermittent cold temperature (5 °C) for 12 h per day (ICE-12 h/d), or persistent cold exposure (PCE) for four weeks. We measured energy intake, fat deposit mass, serum thyroid hormone levels, and uncoupling protein 1 expression in brown adipose tissue.RESULTS: There was no significant effect of intermittent or persistent cold exposure on body mass regain, whereas energy intake increased significantly and total fat deposit decreased in the ICE-12 h/d and PCE groups compared to the ICE-2 h/d group and control group maintained at 23 °C (CON). In the ICE-12 h/d and PCE groups, hamsters had 39.6 and 38.3% higher serum 3,3',5-triiodothyronine levels, respectively, and 81.6 and 71.3% up-regulated expression of uncoupling protein 1, respectively, in brown adipose tissue compared to their counterparts in the CON group. The rate of mitochondrial state III and state IV respiration O2 consumption and the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in BAT and liver were significantly higher in the ICE-12 h/d and PCE groups than in the ICE-2 h/d and CON groups.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest thyroid hormone-mediated heat production in brown adipose tissue and liver may be involved in preventing fat accumulation during refeeding in animals frequently or persistently exposed to cold conditions.
    Keywords:  Cold exposure; Fat accumulation; Metabolic thermogenesis; Striped hamster; Thyroid hormones
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s40850-022-00122-z
  3. Nat Commun. 2023 May 12. 14(1): 2731
    Genetically prolonged beige fat in male mice confers long-lasting metabolic health.
    Ruifan Wu, Jooman Park, Yanyu Qian, Zuoxiao Shi, Ruoci Hu, Yexian Yuan, Shaolei Xiong, Zilai Wang, Gege Yan, Sang-Ging Ong, Qing Song, Zhenyuan Song, Abeer M Mahmoud, Pingwen Xu, Congcong He, Robert W Arpke, Michael Kyba, Gang Shu, Qingyan Jiang, Yuwei Jiang.
      A potential therapeutic target to curb obesity and diabetes is thermogenic beige adipocytes. However, beige adipocytes quickly transition into white adipocytes upon removing stimuli. Here, we define the critical role of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (Cdkn2a) as a molecular pedal for the beige-to-white transition. Beige adipocytes lacking Cdkn2a exhibit prolonged lifespan, and male mice confer long-term metabolic protection from diet-induced obesity, along with enhanced energy expenditure and improved glucose tolerance. Mechanistically, Cdkn2a promotes the expression and activity of beclin 1 (BECN1) by directly binding to its mRNA and its negative regulator BCL2 like 1 (BCL2L1), activating autophagy and accelerating the beige-to-white transition. Reactivating autophagy by pharmacological or genetic methods abolishes beige adipocyte maintenance induced by Cdkn2a ablation. Furthermore, hyperactive BECN1 alone accelerates the beige-to-white transition in mice and human. Notably, both Cdkn2a and Becn1 exhibit striking positive correlations with adiposity. Hence, blocking Cdkn2a-mediated BECN1 activity holds therapeutic potential to sustain beige adipocytes in treating obesity and related metabolic diseases.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38471-z
  4. J Biol Chem. 2023 May 05. pii: S0021-9258(23)01816-1. [Epub ahead of print] 104788
    Adverse cardiac remodeling augments adipose tissue ß-adrenergic signaling and lipolysis counteracting diet-induced obesity.
    Stephanie Kolleritsch, Laura Pajed, Anna Tilp, Victoria Hois, Isabella Potoschnig, Benedikt Kien, Clemens Diwoky, Gerald Hoefler, Gabriele Schoiswohl, Guenter Haemmerle.
      Cardiac triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation is a common characteristic of obesity and type 2 diabetes and strongly correlates with heart morbidity and mortality. We have previously shown that cardiomyocyte-specific Perilipin 5 overexpression (Plin5-Tg) provokes significant cardiac steatosis via lowering cardiac lipolysis and fatty acid (FA) oxidation. In strong contrast to cardiac steatosis and lethal heart dysfunction in Adipose triglyceride lipase deficiency, Plin5-Tg mice do not develop heart dysfunction and show a normal life span on chow diet. This finding prompted us to study heart function and energy metabolism in Plin5-Tg mice fed high-fat diet (HFD). Plin5-Tg mice showed adverse cardiac remodeling on HFD with heart function only being compromised in one-year-old mice, likely due to reduced cardiac FA uptake, thereby delaying deleterious cardiac lipotoxicity. Notably, Plin5-Tg mice were less obese and protected from glucose intolerance on HFD. Changes in cardiac energy catabolism in Plin5-Tg mice increased ß-adrenergic signaling, lipolytic and thermogenic protein expression in adipose tissue ultimately counteracting HFD-induced obesity. Acute cold exposure further augmented ß-adrenergic signaling in Plin5-Tg mice, whereas housing at thermoneutrality did not protect Plin5-Tg mice from HFD-induced obesity albeit blood glucose and insulin levels remained low in transgenic mice. Overall, our data suggest that the limited capacity for myocardial FA oxidation on HFD increases cardiac stress in Plin5-Tg mice, thereby stimulating adipose tissue ß-adrenergic signaling, TAG catabolism, and thermogenesis. However, long-term HFD-mediated metabolic stress causes contractile dysfunction in Plin5-Tg mice, which emphasizes the importance of a carefully controlled dietary regime in patients with cardiac steatosis and hypertrophy.
    Keywords:  Perilipin 5; adipose tissue; cardiac hypertrophy; lipolysis; thermogenesis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104788
  5. Annu Rev Biophys. 2023 05 09. 52 229-254
    Mitochondrial Ion Channels.
    Ildiko Szabo, Adam Szewczyk.
      Mitochondria are involved in multiple cellular tasks, such as ATP synthesis, metabolism, metabolite and ion transport, regulation of apoptosis, inflammation, signaling, and inheritance of mitochondrial DNA. The majority of the correct functioning of mitochondria is based on the large electrochemical proton gradient, whose component, the inner mitochondrial membrane potential, is strictly controlled by ion transport through mitochondrial membranes. Consequently, mitochondrial function is critically dependent on ion homeostasis, the disturbance of which leads to abnormal cell functions. Therefore, the discovery of mitochondrial ion channels influencing ion permeability through the membrane has defined a new dimension of the function of ion channels in different cell types, mainly linked to the important tasks that mitochondrial ion channels perform in cell life and death. This review summarizes studies on animal mitochondrial ion channels with special focus on their biophysical properties, molecular identity, and regulation. Additionally, the potential of mitochondrial ion channels as therapeutic targets for several diseases is briefly discussed.
    Keywords:  calcium channels; chloride channels; mitochondria; mitochondrial megachannel; porin; potassium channels
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-biophys-092622-094853
  6. Nat Commun. 2023 May 11. 14(1): 2723
    Vesicular glutamate transporters are H+-anion exchangers that operate at variable stoichiometry.
    Bettina Kolen, Bart Borghans, Daniel Kortzak, Victor Lugo, Cora Hannack, Raul E Guzman, Ghanim Ullah, Christoph Fahlke.
      Vesicular glutamate transporters accumulate glutamate in synaptic vesicles, where they also function as a major Cl- efflux pathway. Here we combine heterologous expression and cellular electrophysiology with mathematical modeling to understand the mechanisms underlying this dual function of rat VGLUT1. When glutamate is the main cytoplasmic anion, VGLUT1 functions as H+-glutamate exchanger, with a transport rate of around 600 s-1 at -160 mV. Transport of other large anions, including aspartate, is not stoichiometrically coupled to H+ transport, and Cl- permeates VGLUT1 through an aqueous anion channel with unitary transport rates of 1.5 × 105 s-1 at -160 mV. Mathematical modeling reveals that H+ coupling is sufficient for selective glutamate accumulation in model vesicles and that VGLUT Cl- channel function increases the transport efficiency by accelerating glutamate accumulation and reducing ATP-driven H+ transport. In summary, we provide evidence that VGLUT1 functions as H+-glutamate exchanger that is partially or fully uncoupled by other anions.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38340-9
  7. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 05 16. 120(20): e2301979120
    The DedA superfamily member PetA is required for the transbilayer distribution of phosphatidylethanolamine in bacterial membranes.
    Ian J Roney, David Z Rudner.
      The sorting of phospholipids between the inner and outer leaflets of the membrane bilayer is a fundamental problem in all organisms. Despite years of investigation, most of the enzymes that catalyze phospholipid reorientation in bacteria remain unknown. Studies from almost half a century ago in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium revealed that newly synthesized phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is rapidly translocated to the outer leaflet of the bilayer [Rothman & Kennedy, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 1821-1825 (1977)] but the identity of the putative PE flippase has eluded discovery. Recently, members of the DedA superfamily have been implicated in flipping the bacterial lipid carrier undecaprenyl phosphate and in scrambling eukaryotic phospholipids in vitro. Here, using the antimicrobial peptide duramycin that targets outward-facing PE, we show that Bacillus subtilis cells lacking the DedA paralog PetA (formerly YbfM) have increased resistance to duramycin. Sensitivity to duramycin is restored by expression of B. subtilis PetA or homologs from other bacteria. Analysis of duramycin-mediated killing upon induction of PE synthesis indicates that PetA is required for efficient PE transport. Finally, using fluorescently labeled duramycin we demonstrate that cells lacking PetA have reduced PE in their outer leaflet compared to wildtype. We conclude that PetA is the long-sought PE transporter. These data combined with bioinformatic analysis of other DedA paralogs argue that the primary role of DedA superfamily members is transporting distinct lipids across the membrane bilayer.
    Keywords:  DedA; flippase; lipid transport; membrane biogenesis; phosphatidylethanolamine
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2301979120
  8. Nat Commun. 2023 May 08. 14(1): 2571
    Lipid flipping in the omega-3 fatty-acid transporter.
    Chi Nguyen, Hsiang-Ting Lei, Louis Tung Faat Lai, Marc J Gallenito, Xuelang Mu, Doreen Matthies, Tamir Gonen.
      Mfsd2a is the transporter for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Defects in Mfsd2a are linked to ailments from behavioral and motor dysfunctions to microcephaly. Mfsd2a transports long-chain unsaturated fatty-acids, including DHA and α-linolenic acid (ALA), that are attached to the zwitterionic lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) headgroup. Even with the recently determined structures of Mfsd2a, the molecular details of how this transporter performs the energetically unfavorable task of translocating and flipping lysolipids across the lipid bilayer remains unclear. Here, we report five single-particle cryo-EM structures of Danio rerio Mfsd2a (drMfsd2a): in the inward-open conformation in the ligand-free state and displaying lipid-like densities modeled as ALA-LPC at four distinct positions. These Mfsd2a snapshots detail the flipping mechanism for lipid-LPC from outer to inner membrane leaflet and release for membrane integration on the cytoplasmic side. These results also map Mfsd2a mutants that disrupt lipid-LPC transport and are associated with disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37702-7
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