Signals from the adipose tissue alter systemic metabolism

CÓRSICO, B; FALOMIR LOCKHART, L.J

Clinical Lipidology

Future Lipidology

Año: 2009 vol. 1 p. 13 - 15

1758-4299

Alterations in lipid metabolism are linked to metabolic diseases as obesity, diabetes, fatty liver and atherosclerosis, although the details of the underlying specific mechanisms of this connection are not well understood. In this work, mice deficient in adipose tissue fatty acid binding proteins (FABP4 and FABP5), were employed to explore the mechanisms connecting local alterations in adipose tissue lipid metabolism to systemic metabolic outcomes. FABPs are lipid chaperones that are postulated to target intracellular lipids to different organelles and metabolic pathways inside the cell. Several FABPs have been reported to play a role in systemic metabolic regulation, especially those from adipose tissue. Hence, animals lacking FABPs are powerful models to explore lipid metabolism and signaling inside the cell and between organs. Employing quantitative lipidomic analysis, physiological and molecular approaches in FABP-deficient mice, in this work, a specific fatty acid is identified as a lipid hormone, linking adipose tissue to systemic metabolism.