Glucocorticoids and cyclic AMP selectively increase hepatic lipin-1 expression, and insulin acts antagonistically

Glucocorticoids (GCs) increase hepatic phosphatidate phosphatase (PAP1) activity. This is important in enhancing the liver's capacity for storing fatty acids as triacylglycerols (TAGs) that can be used subsequently for beta-oxidation or VLDL secretion. PAP1 catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidate to diacylglycerol, a key substrate for TAG and phospholipid biosynthesis. PAP1 enzymes in liver include lipin-1A and -1B (alternatively spliced isoforms) and two distinct gene products, lipin-2 and lipin-3. We determined the mechanisms by which the composite PAP1 activity is regulated using rat and mouse hepatocytes. Levels of lipin-1A and -1B mRNA were increased by dexamethasone (dex; a synthetic GC), and this resulted in increased lipin-1 synthesis, protein levels, and PAP1 activity. The stimulatory effect of dex on lipin-1 expression was enhanced by glucagon or cAMP and antagonized by insulin. Lipin-2 and lipin-3 mRNA were not increased by dex/cAMP, indicating that increased PAP1 activity is attributable specifically to enhanced lipin-1 expression. This work provides the first evidence for the differential regulation of lipin activities. Selective lipin-1 expression explains the GC and cAMP effects on increased hepatic PAP1 activity, which occurs in hepatic steatosis during starvation, diabetes, stress, and ethanol consumption.     

The level and compartmentalization of phosphatidate phosphatase-1 (lipin-1) control the assembly and secretion of hepatic VLDL

Phosphatidate phosphatase-1 (PAP-1) converts phosphatidate to diacylglycerol and plays a key role in the biosynthesis of phospholipids and triacylglycerol (TAG). PAP-1 activity is encoded by members of the lipin family, including lipin-1 (1alpha and 1beta), -2, and -3. We determined the effect of lipin-1 expression on the assembly and secretion of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) using McA-RH7777 cells. Expression of lipin-1alpha or -1beta increased the synthesis and secretion of [(3)H]glycerol-labeled lipids under either basal- or oleate-supplemented conditions. In the presence of oleate, the increased TAG secretion was mainly associated with VLDL(1) (S(f) > 100) and VLDL(2) (S(f) 20-100). Expression of lipin-1alpha or -1beta increased secretion efficiency and decreased intracellular degradation of [(35)S]apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB100). Knockdown of lipin-1 using specific short interfering RNA decreased secretion of [(3)H]glycerolipids and [(35)S]apoB100 even though total PAP-1 activity was not decreased, owing to the presence of lipin-2 and -3 in the cells. Deletion of the nuclear localization signal sequences within lipin-1alpha not only abolished nuclear localization but also resulted in impaired association with microsomal membranes. Cells expressing the cytosolic lipin-1alpha mutant failed to promote [(35)S]apoB100 synthesis or secretion, and showed compromised stimulation in [(3)H]TAG synthesis and secretion. Thus, alteration in hepatic expression of lipin-1 and its compartmentalization control VLDL assembly/secretion.