Remodeling of lipid droplets during lipolysis and growth in adipocytes

Synthesis, storage, and turnover of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in adipocytes are critical cellular processes to maintain lipid and energy homeostasis in mammals. TAGs are stored in metabolically highly dynamic lipid droplets (LDs), which are believed to undergo fragmentation and fusion under lipolytic and lipogenic conditions, respectively. Time lapse fluorescence microscopy showed that stimulation of lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes causes progressive shrinkage and almost complete degradation of all cellular LDs but without any detectable fragmentation into micro-LDs (mLDs). However, mLDs were rapidly formed after induction of lipolysis in the absence of BSA in the culture medium that acts as a fatty acid scavenger. Moreover, mLD formation was blocked by the acyl-CoA synthetase inhibitor triacsin C, implicating that mLDs are synthesized de novo in response to cellular fatty acid overload. Using label-free coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy, we demonstrate that LDs grow by transfer of lipids from one organelle to another. Notably, this lipid transfer between closely associated LDs is not a rapid and spontaneous process but rather occurs over several h and does not appear to require physical interaction over large LD surface areas. These data indicate that LD growth is a highly regulated process leading to the heterogeneous LD size distribution within and between individual cells. Our findings suggest that lipolysis and lipogenesis occur in parallel in a cell to prevent cellular fatty acid overflow. Furthermore, we propose that formation of large LDs requires a yet uncharacterized protein machinery mediating LD interaction and lipid transfer.     

HDL-mediated cholesterol uptake and targeting to lipid droplets in adipocytes

Adipocytes express high levels of the HDL scavenger receptor class B type I in a differentiation-dependent manner. We thus have analyzed the routes of HDL cholesterol trafficking at different phases of adipocyte differentiation in the 3T3-L1 cell line. One novel and salient feature of this paper is the observation of a widespread distribution in the cell cytoplasm of Golgi markers, caveolin-2, and a fluorescent cholesterol analog NBD-cholesterol (NBD-chol), observed in the early phases of adipocyte formation, clearly distinct from that observed in mature fat cells (i.e., with fully formed lipid vesicles). Thus, in cells without visible lipid droplets, Golgi markers (Golgi 58K, Golgin 97, trans-Golgi network 38, Rab 6, and BODIPY-ceramide), caveolin-2, and NBD-chol all colocalize in a widespread distribution in the cell. In contrast, when lipid droplets are fully formed at latter stages, these markers clearly are distributed to distinct cell compartments: a compact juxtanuclear structure for the Golgi markers and caveolin-2, while NDB-chol concentrates in lipid droplets. In addition, disorganization of the Golgi using three different agents (Brefeldin, monensin, and N-ethyl-maleimide) drastically reduces NBD-chol uptake at different phases of adipocyte formation, strongly suggesting that the Golgi apparatus plays a critical role in HDL-mediated NBD uptake and routing to lipid droplets.     

Shrinking and development of lipid droplets in adipocytes during catecholamine-induced lipolysis

Time-lapse observation of adipocytes during catecholamine-induced lipolysis clearly shows that shrinking of existing lipid droplets (LDs) occurs in some adipocytes and that small LDs are newly developed in almost all cells. Immunofluorescence imaging reveals that activation and localization of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) on the surface of LDs, which are required for conferring maximal lipolysis, are necessary for the shrinking of the LDs. However, not all adipocytes in which phosphorylated HSL is localized on LDs exhibit shrinking of LDs. The simultaneous shrinking and development of LDs yield apparent fragmentation and dispersion of LDs in adipocytes stimulated with catecholamine.     

Live-cell imaging demonstrates rapid cargo exchange between lipid droplets in adipocytes

Lipid droplets form the storage reservoirs for lipids in adipocytes, and their stable appearance suggests a static nature of lipid storage. A stable lipid store, however, may be maintained through the dynamic recycling of lipid cargo between the cytoplasmic compartment and the lipid droplet. In this study, we applied live-cell microscopy to follow intracellular transport steps of fluorescently labeled fatty acids in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We demonstrate that intracellular lipids continuously exit and re-enter lipid droplets, and that individual lipid droplets exchange their content on a timescale of minutes. These data demonstrate a surprisingly high rate of intracellular lipid turnover in adipocytes and support the novel concept that lipid storage is achieved by dynamic recycling rather than static retention.     

DGAT enzymes are required for triacylglycerol synthesis and lipid droplets in adipocytes

The total contribution of the acyl CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) enzymes, DGAT1 and DGAT2, to mammalian triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis has not been determined. Similarly, whether DGAT enzymes are required for lipid droplet (LD) formation is unknown. In this study, we examined the requirement for DGAT enzymes in TG synthesis and LDs in differentiated adipocytes with genetic deletions of DGAT1 and DGAT2. Adipocytes with a single deletion of either enzyme were capable of TG synthesis and LD formation. In contrast, adipocytes with deletions of both DGATs were severely lacking in TG and did not have LDs, indicating that DGAT1 and DGAT2 account for nearly all TG synthesis in adipocytes and appear to be required for LD formation during adipogenesis. DGAT enzymes were not absolutely required for LD formation in mammalian cells, however; macrophages deficient in both DGAT enzymes were able to form LDs when incubated with cholesterol-rich lipoproteins. Although adipocytes lacking both DGATs had no TG or LDs, they were fully differentiated by multiple criteria. Our findings show that DGAT1 and DGAT2 account for the vast majority of TG synthesis in mice, and DGAT function is required for LDs in adipocytes, but not in all cell types.     

Role of insulin-dependent cortical fodrin/spectrin remodeling in glucose transporter 4 translocation in rat adipocytes

Fodrin or nonerythroid spectrin is an abundant component of the cortical cytoskeletal network in rat adipocytes. Fodrin has a highly punctate distribution in resting cells, and insulin causes a dramatic remodeling of fodrin to a more diffuse pattern. Insulin-mediated remodeling of actin occurs to a lesser extent than does that of fodrin. We show that fodrin interacts with the t-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) syntaxin 4, and this interaction is increased by insulin stimulation and decreased by prior latrunculin A treatment. Latrunculin A disrupts all actin filaments, inhibits glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation, and causes fodrin to partially redistribute from the plasma membrane to the cytosol. In contrast, cytochalasin D disrupts only the short actin filament signal, and cytochalasin D neither inhibits GLUT4 translocation nor fodrin redistribution in adipocytes. Together, our data suggest that insulin induces remodeling of the fodrin-actin network, which is required for the fusion of GLUT4 storage vesicles with the plasma membrane by permitting their access to the t-SNARE syntaxin 4.     

Propranolol-sensitive and phenoxybenzamine-insensitive binding of norepinephrine to endogenous lipid droplets from rat adipocytes

Norepinephrine, epinephrine, and isoproterenol at concentrations of 5.5 x 10(-8) M were found to elicit lipolysis in a cell-free system containing lipid droplets from fat cells and lipase solution. In the cell-free system, the beta-blockers propranolol and dichloroisoproterenol at concentrations of 1 microM inhibited lipolysis induced by norepinephrine, whereas similar concentrations of the alpha-blockers phenoxybenzamine and yohimbine did not inhibit lipolysis. The binding of norepinephrine to endogenous lipid droplets was inhibited by propranolol, but not by phenoxybenzamine. We concluded that the propranolol-sensitive, phenoxybenzamine-insensitive binding of norepinephrine to endogenous lipid droplets is involved in lipolysis in fat cells. Treatment of endogenous lipid droplets with phospholipase C, but not phospholipase D, trypsin, chymotrypsin, or neuraminidase, inhibited the propranolol-sensitive binding of norepinephrine to the droplets. These results suggest that the phosphate group of phospholipid in endogenous lipid droplets may be the site of propranolol-sensitive binding of norepinephrine. The physiological significance of the propranolol-sensitive binding is discussed.     

Heat shock protein 70 is translocated to lipid droplets in rat adipocytes upon heat stimulation

In mammalian cells, lipid storage droplets contain a triacylglycerol and cholesterol ester core surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer into which a number of proteins are imbedded. These proteins are thought to be involved in modulating the formation and metabolic functions of the lipid droplet. In this study, we show that heat stress upregulates several heat shock proteins (Hsps), including Hsp27, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90, and Grp78, in primary and differentiated adipocytes. Immunostaining and immunoblotting data indicate that among the Hsps examined, only Hsp70 is induced to redirect to the lipid droplet surface in heat-stressed adipocytes. The thermal induction of Hsp70 translocation to lipid droplet does not typically happen in a temperature- or time-dependent manner and occurs abruptly at 30-40 min and rapidly achieves a steady state within 60 min after 40 degrees C stress of adipocytes. Though Hsp70 is co-localized with perilipin on the lipid droplets in stressed adipocytes, immunoprecipitation experiments suggest that Hsp70 does not directly interact with perilipin. Alkaline treatments indicate that Hsp70 associates with the droplet surface through non-hydrophobic interactions. We speculate that Hsp70 might noncovalently associate with monolayer microdomains of the lipid droplet in a manner similar to its interaction with lipid bilayer moieties composed of specific fatty acids. As an acute and specific cellular response to the heat stimulation, accumulation of Hsp70 on adipocytes lipid droplets might be involved in stabilizing the droplet monolayer, transferring nascent proteins to the lipid droplets, or chaperoning denatured proteins on the droplet for subsequent refolding.     

Accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls in adipocytes: selective targeting to lipid droplets and role of caveolin-1

Background

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental pollutants that preferentially accumulate in lipid-rich tissues of contaminated organisms. Although the adipose tissue constitutes a major intern reservoir of PCBs and recent epidemiological studies associate PCBs to the development of obesity and its related disorders, little is known about the mechanisms involved in their uptake by the adipose tissue and their intracellular localization in fat cells.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We have examined the intracellular distribution of PCBs in mouse cultured adipocytes and tested the potential involvement of caveolin-1, an abundant adipocyte membrane protein, in the uptake of these compounds by fat cells. We show that 2,4,4′-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB-28), 2,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB-118) and 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) congeners rapidly and extensively accumulate in 3T3-L1 or mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) derived cultured adipocytes. The dynamics of accumulation differed between the 3 congeners tested. By subcellular fractionation of primary adipocytes, we demonstrate that these pollutants were almost exclusively recovered within the lipid droplet fraction and practically not associated to cell membranes. The absence of caveolin-1 expression in primary adipocytes from cav-1 deficient mice did not modify lipid droplet selective targeting of PCBs. In cav-1 KO MEF differentiated adipocytes, PCB accumulation was decreased, which correlated with reduced cell triglyceride content. Conversely, adenoviral mediated cav-1 overexpressing in 3T3-L1 cells, which had no impact on total cell lipid content, did not change PCB accumulation.

Conclusion/Significance

Our data indicate that caveolin-1 per se is not required for selective PCB accumulation, but rather point out a primary dependence on adipocyte triglyceride content. If the crucial role of lipid droplets in energy homeostasis is considered, the almost exclusive accumulation of PCBs in these organelles warrants future attention as the impairment of their function could be linked to the worldwide obesity epidemic.     

Fluorescence quenching competitive immunoassay in micro droplets

A fluorescence quenching competitive immunoassay in micro droplets was applied to the sensitive detection of the pyrethroid insecticide, esfenvalerate. Laser induced fluorescence from rhodamine dye was used as a marker. The competitive immunoreaction was performed in micro droplets generated by a vibrating orifice aerosol generator system with a 10-microm diameter orifice. Fluorescence that was emitted from the droplets was detected by a 1/8 m imaging spectrograph with a 512 x 512 thermoelectrically cooled, charged-coupled device camera. The conjugate of esfenvalerate with rhodamine exhibited similar fluorescence to that of pure rhodamine 6G. When anti-esfenvalerate antibodies were added to the droplets, the fluorescence decreased. The reduction in emission was due to a strong quenching effect that arises from the interaction between the protein and rhodamine molecules following the antigen-antibody reaction. When a sample of esfenvalerate was added to the droplets, the release of the conjugated rhodamine from the antigen-antibody complex allowed the fluorescence signal to recover. An assay in a picoliter droplet sample was shown to enable detection down to approximately 0.1 nM. A very small mass of analyte could be detected with this method. A sample of river water was used to gauge the impact of matrix effects and was shown to give rise to negligible interference with the immunoassay.     

Phospholipids and lipid droplets

Lipid droplets are ubiquitous cellular organelles that allow cells to store large amounts of neutral lipids for membrane synthesis and energy supply in times of starvation. Compared to other cellular organelles, lipid droplets are structurally unique as they are made of a hydrophobic core of neutral lipids and are separated to the cytosol only by a surrounding phospholipid monolayer. This phospholipid monolayer consists of over a hundred different phospholipid molecular species of which phosphatidylcholine is the most abundant lipid class. However, lipid droplets lack some indispensable activities of the phosphatidylcholine biogenic pathways suggesting that they partially depend on other organelles for phosphatidylcholine synthesis.     

The life of lipid droplets

Lipid droplets are the least characterized of cellular organelles. Long considered simple lipid storage depots, these dynamic and remarkable organelles have recently been implicated in many biological processes, and we are only now beginning to gain insights into their fascinating lives in cells. Here we examine what we know of the life of lipid droplets. We review emerging data concerning their cellular biology and present our thoughts on some of the most salient questions for investigation.     

Cell biology of lipid droplets

Lipid storage has attracted much attention in the past years, both by the broader public and the biomedical scientific community. Driven by concerns about the obesity epidemic that affects most industrialized countries and even substantial parts of the population in less and least developed countries, work from researchers of many disciplines has shed light on the genetics, the physiology, and the cellular mechanisms of fat accumulation. This review focuses on the actual organelle of fat deposition, the lipid droplet (LD), and on the recent progress in mechanistic understanding of processes like LD biogenesis, LD growth and degradation, protein targeting to LDs and LD fusion.     

Perilipin A mediates the reversible binding of CGI-58 to lipid droplets in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Perilipins, the major structural proteins coating the surfaces of mature lipid droplets of adipocytes, play an important role in the regulation of triacylglycerol storage and hydrolysis. We have used proteomic analysis to identify CGI-58, a member of the alpha/beta-hydrolase fold family of enzymes, as a component of lipid droplets of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. CGI-58 mRNA is highly expressed in adipose tissue and testes, tissues that also express perilipins, and at lower levels in liver, skin, kidney, and heart. Both endogenous CGI-58 and an ectopic CGI-58-GFP chimera show diffuse cytoplasmic localization in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, but localize almost exclusively to the surfaces of lipid droplets in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The localization of endogenous CGI-58 was investigated in 3T3-L1 cells stably expressing mutated forms of perilipin using microscopy. CGI-58 binds to lipid droplets coated with perilipin A or mutated forms of perilipin with an intact C-terminal sequence from amino acid 382 to 429, but not to lipid droplets coated with perilipin B or mutated perilipin A lacking this sequence. Immunoprecipitation studies confirmed these findings, but also showed co-precipitation of perilipin B and CGI-58. Remarkably, activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by the incubation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with isoproterenol and isobutylmethylxanthine disperses CGI-58 from the surfaces of lipid droplets to a cytoplasmic distribution. This shift in subcellular localization can be reversed by the addition of propanolol to the culture medium. Thus, CGI-58 binds to perilipin A-coated lipid droplets in a manner that is dependent upon the metabolic status of the adipocyte and the activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

TRAPPing Rab18 in lipid droplets

A number of membrane trafficking components are associated with lipid droplets (LDs) and/or are involved in their biogenesis. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Li et al ( 2017 ) show that the mammalian TRAPPII (TRAnsport Protein Particle) complex acts as an LD‐associated GEF for Rab18, thereby regulating LD homeostasis.     

Deformation of lipid droplets in fixed samples

Nile red, Sudan III, and oil red O have been used to stain lipid droplets (LDs) for fluorescence microscopy. We noticed that LDs labeled by Nile red are different in appearance from those stained by the latter two dyes. To understand the cause of the difference, we used sequential labeling procedures (first LD stain-photography-quenching-second LD stain-photography), and examined the effect of several factors. Immunofluorescence labeling for adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP), an LD marker, was also observed comparatively with the lipid stains. As a result, we found that ethanol and isopropanol used for Sudan III and oil red O staining, respectively, and glycerol used for mounting, cause fusion of adjacent LDs even in glutaraldehyde-fixed samples. By the same treatment, immunofluorescence labeling for ADRP was dislocated to the rim of large LDs that were formed as a result of the artifactual fusion. The result indicates that the LD structure can be better observed with Nile red than with Sudan III or oil red O.     

Triglyceride containing lipid droplets and lipid droplet-associated proteins

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cytosolic lipid droplets are now recognized as dynamic organelles. This review summarizes our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the formation of lipid droplets, the importance of lipid droplet-associated proteins and the link between lipid droplet accumulation and development of insulin resistance. RECENT FINDINGS: Lipid droplets are formed as primordial droplets and they increase in size by fusion. This fusion process requires the alpha-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor adaptor protein receptor SNAP23, which is also involved in the insulin-dependent translocation of a glucose transporter to the plasma membrane. Recent data suggest that SNAP23 is the link between increased lipid droplet accumulation and development of insulin resistance. Lipid droplets also form tight interactions with other organelles. Furthermore, additional lipid droplet-associated proteins have been identified and shown to play a role in droplet assembly and turnover, and in sorting and trafficking events. SUMMARY: Recent studies have identified a number of key proteins that are involved in the formation and turnover of lipid droplets, and SNAP23 has been identified as a link between accumulation of lipid droplets and development of insulin resistance. Further understanding of lipid droplet biology could indicate potential therapeutic targets to prevent accumulation of lipid droplets and associated complications.     

Caveolae and lipid trafficking in adipocytes

The abundance of caveolae in adipocytes suggests a possible cell-specific role for these structures, and because these cells take up and release fatty acids as their quantitatively most robust activity, modulation of fatty acid movement is one such role that is supported by substantial in vitro and in vivo data. In addition, caveolae are particularly rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids, and indeed, fat cells harbor more cholesterol than any other tissue. In this article, we review the role of adipocyte caveolae with regard to these important lipid classes.