Involvement of acyl exchange between acyl-CoA and phosphatidylcholine in the remodelling of phosphatidylcholine in microsomal preparations of rat lung

Microsomal membrane preparations from rat lung catalyse the incorporation of radioactive linolenic acid from [14C]linolenoyl-CoA into position 2 of sn-phosphatidylcholine. The incorporation was stimulated by bovine serum albumin and free CoA. Free fatty acids in the incubation mixtures were not utilised in the incorporation into complex lipids. Fatty acids were transferred to the acyl-CoA pool during the incorporation of linolenic acid into phosphatidylcholine. An increase in lysophosphatidylcholine occurred in incubations containing both bovine serum albumin and free CoA and in the absence of acyl-CoA. The results were consistent with an acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase operating in both a forwards and backwards direction and thus catalysing the acyl exchange between acyl-CoA and position 2 of sn-phosphatidylcholine. In incubations with mixed species of acyl-CoAs, palmitic acid was the major fatty acid substrate transferred to phosphatidylcholine in acyl exchange, whereas this acid was completely selected against in the acylation of added lysophosphatidylcholine. The selectivity for palmitoyl-CoA was particularly enhanced when the mixed acyl-CoA substrate was presented to the microsomes in molar concentrations equivalent to the molar ratios of the fatty acids in position 2 of sn-phosphatidylcholine. During acyl exchange, the predominant fatty acid transferred to phosphatidylcholine from acyl-CoA was palmitic acid, whereas arachidonic acid was particularly selected for in the reverse reaction from phosphatidylcholine to acyl-CoA. A hypothesis is presented to explain the differential selectivity for acyl species between the forward and backward reactions of the acyltransferase that is based upon different affinities of the enzyme for substrates at high and low concentrations of acyl donor. Acyl exchange between acyl-CoA and phosphatidylcholine offers, therefore, a possible mechanism for the acyl-remodelling of phosphatidylcholine for the production of lung surfactant.     

Enzymatic basis for the formation of pulmonary surfactant lipids by acyltransferase systems

An enzymatic basis for the formation of pulmonary surfactant lipids in rat has been presented. The free fatty acid pools in lung and liver consisted mainly of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and arachidonic acids with relatively less polyunsaturated fatty acids in lung than in liver. The acyl chain specificities of the acyl-CoA synthetase systems in lung and liver microsomes were similar in that most of fatty acids found in the free fatty acid pools were effectively activated by both systems. The acyl-CoA pools had compositions significantly different from those of the free fatty acid pools in lung and liver with relatively more stearate and less polyunsaturated fatty acids. The lung acyl-CoA pool contained mainly palmitate (29%), stearate (31%), and oleate (22%) with very little polyunsaturated acyl-CoAs to compete for esterification. The use of an equimolar mixture of palmitoyl-CoA and arachidonoyl-CoA to acylate the endogenous monoacyl-glycerophosphocholine isomers in the lung microsomes yielded both the 2-palmitate and 2-arachidonate diacyl forms, whereas the major products formed by liver microsomes were the 2-arachidonate and 1-palmitate forms. These results indicate that the 1-acyl isomer is the major monoacyl-glycerophosphocholine species serving as substrate in lung microsomes, whereas both 1-acyl and 2-acyl isomers are present in liver microsomes. Thus, the enrichment of saturated and oligoenoic acids in the acyl-CoA pool combined with the predominance of the 1-acyl isomer in the acyl acceptor pool and the relatively higher selectivity for palmitoyl-CoA by the 1-acyl-GPC acyltransferase activity of lung constitute an important basis for attributing some of the formation of pulmonary surfactant lipids in rats to acyltransferase action.     

Biosynthesis of phosphatidic acid by glycerophosphate acyltransferases in rat liver mitochondria and microsomes

The acyltransferases that catalyze the synthesis of phosphatidic acid from labelled sn-[14C]glycero-3-phosphate and fatty acyl carnitine or coenzyme A derivatives have been shown to be present in both isolated mitochondria and microsomes from rat liver. The major reaction product was phosphatidic acid in both subcellular fractions. A small quantity of lysophosphatidic acid and neutral lipids were produced as by-products. Divalent cations had significant effects on both mitochondrial and microsomal fractions in stimulating acylation using palmitoyl CoA, but not when palmitoyl carnitine was used as the acyl donor. Palmitoyl CoA and palmitoyl carnitine could be used for acylation by both mitochondria and microsomes. Mitochondria were more permeable to palmitoyl carnitine and readily used it as the substrate for acylation. On the other hand, microsomes yielded a better rate with palmitoyl CoA and the rate of acylation from palmitoyl carnitine in microsomes was correlated with the degree of mitochondrial contamination. The enzymes were partially purified from Triton X-100 extracts of subcellular fractions. Based on the differences of substrate utilization, products formed, divalent cation effects, molecular weights, and polarity, the mitochondrial and microsomal acyltransferases appeared to be different enzymes.     

Resistance to ethanol disordering of membranes from ethanol-fed rats is conferred by all phospholipid classes.

Phospholipids extracted from liver microsomes and mitochondria of ethanol-fed rats retained the resistance to membrane disordered by ethanol which is observed in the intact isolated membranes. The lipid extracts were separated into the major phospholipid classes (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol from microsomes and phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin from mitochondria) by preparative TLC. The extent of membrane disordering by ethanol of phospholipid vesicles composed of a mixture of phospholipids from ethanol-fed rats and controls was determined from the reduction of the order parameter of the spin-probe 12-doxyl-stearate. In contrast to previous reports, we found that all phospholipid classes from ethanol-fed rats confer resistance to disordering by ethanol. To a first approximation the extent of resistance was proportional to the fraction of lipids from ethanol-fed rats, regardless of the phospholipid head-group. Subtle differences between phospholipid classes may exist but were too small to measure accurately. Except for phosphatidylethanol, incorporation of anionic phospholipids did not have a significant effect on the sensitivity of phospholipid vesicles to the disordering effect of ethanol. Vesicles prepared from mixtures of various dioleoyl phospholipids and natural phospholipids did not indicate a clear effect of fatty acid saturation on the sensitivity to disordering by ethanol. Although the precise molecular changes that occur in phospholipids from ethanol-fed rats have not been fully characterized it appears that subtle changes in all phospholipid classes contribute to the resistance to ethanol disordering of these membranes.     

Acyl-coenzyme A binding protein expression alters liver fatty acyl-coenzyme A metabolism

Although studies in vitro and in yeast suggest that acyl-CoA binding protein ACBP may modulate long-chain fatty acyl-CoA (LCFA-CoA) distribution, its physiological function in mammals is unresolved. To address this issue, the effect of ACBP on liver LCFA-CoA pool size, acyl chain composition, distribution, and transacylation into more complex lipids was examined in transgenic mice expressing a higher level of ACBP. While ACBP transgenic mice did not exhibit altered body or liver weight, liver LCFA-CoA pool size increased by 69%, preferentially in saturated and polyunsaturated, but not monounsaturated, LCFA-CoAs. Intracellular LCFA-CoA distribution was also altered such that the ratio of LCFA-CoA content in (membranes, organelles)/cytosol increased 2.7-fold, especially in microsomes but not mitochondria. The increased distribution of specific LCFA-CoAs to the membrane/organelle and microsomal fractions followed the same order as the relative LCFA-CoA binding affinity exhibited by murine recombinant ACBP: saturated > monounsaturated > polyunsaturated C14-C22 LCFA-CoAs. Consistent with the altered microsomal LCFA-CoA level and distribution, enzymatic activity of liver microsomal glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) increased 4-fold, liver mass of phospholipid and triacylglyceride increased nearly 2-fold, and relative content of monounsaturated C18:1 fatty acid increased 44% in liver phospholipids. These effects were not due to the ACBP transgene altering the protein levels of liver microsomal acyltransferase enzymes such as GPAT, lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LAT), or acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT-2). Thus, these data show for the first time in a physiological context that ACBP expression may play a role in LCFA-CoA metabolism.     

Synthesis and metabolism of arachidonyl- and eicosapentaenoyl-CoA in rat aorta

In studies on the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids, acyl-CoA synthetase for 5,8,11,14-20:4 (arachidonic acid) and 5,8,11,14,17-20:5 (eicosapentaenoic acid) and the incorporation of these fatty acids into complex lipids and their conversion to CO2 were investigated in rat aorta. The activity of acyl-CoA synthetase was 35.9 for arachidonic acid and 63.0 for eicosapentaenoic acid (nmol/mg protein per 10 min) and the apparent Km values were 45 microM for arachidonic acid and 56 microM for eicosapentaenoic acid. Inhibition of eicosapentaenoyl-CoA synthesis by arachidonic acid was stronger than that of arachidonyl-CoA synthesis by eicosapentaenoic acid. Arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid were mostly incorporated into phospholipids. The incorporation of these fatty acids into cholesterol ester and their conversion to CO2 were less than those of palmitic acid, but their incorporation into triacyglycerol was greater. The incorporation of these fatty acids into phosphatidylserine + phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine was also greater than that of palmitic acid. The patterns of incorporation of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid were similar. The physiological roles of these polyunsaturated fatty acids and the interference of eicosapentaenoic acid in arachidonic acid metabolism are discussed on the basis of these results.     

Fatty acid composition of phospholipids in mitochondria and microsomes during diethylnitrosamine carcinogenesis in rat liver

Changes in lipid composition and function of subcellular organelles have been described in transplanted and primary tumours. We examine here the fatty acid composition of individual phospholipids (PL) in hyperplastic nodules and primary hepatoma induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), compared to that of normal liver and of transplantable Yoshida AH-130 hepatoma. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fatty acid composition in mitochondria and microsomes from primary hepatoma were markedly different from normal liver; C18:0/C18:1 ratio was lower and the ratio between monosaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids was higher. Linoleic acid content of mitochondrial cardiolipin, usually very high in normal rat liver, was notably lower in primary hepatoma. Cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in both microsomes and mitochondria from DEN-induced hepatoma was higher than in normal liver. Hyperplastic nodules showed no changes in cholesterol content whereas modifications in fatty acid composition were already observable. These modifications of membrane structure may be related to the functional changes found in nodular cells. Changes in fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids, occurring in both primary hepatoma and preneoplastic nodules, might be one of the causes for decreased rate of lipid peroxidation peculiar to these tissues.     

A unique cardiac cytosolic acyltransferase with preferential selectivity for fatty acids that form cyclooxygenase/lipoxygenase metabolites and reverse essential fatty acid deficiency

The rabbit heart contains a cytosolic enzyme which selectively incorporates polyunsaturated fatty acids into phosphatidylcholine. This unique acyltransferase is selective for fatty acids, thus far tested, that are substrates for cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase (i.e., arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, linoleic and dihomo-gamma-linoleic acids) or which reverse the symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency (columbinic acid). On the other hand, palmitic, oleic, 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic (n-9, Mead acid), and docosatetraenoic acid (n-6, adrenic acid) were not incorporated in phospholipids by the cytosolic acyltransferase. No such fatty acid selectivity was exhibited by the cytosolic acyl-CoA synthetase or by the acyltransferase activities present in cardiac microsomes and mitochondria.     

Corticosteroid effect on Caco-2 cell lipids depends on cell differentiation

Previous studies from our laboratory have indicated that secondary hyperaldosteronism affects phospholipids of rat colonic enterocytes. To assess whether this represents a direct effect of mineralocorticoids on enterocytes, the role of aldosterone and dexamethasone in the regulation of lipid metabolism was examined in Caco-2 cells during development of their enterocyte phenotype. Differentiation of Caco-2 cells was associated with increased levels of triglycerides (TG) and cholesteryl esters (CE), a decreased content of cholesterol and phospholipids and changes in individual phospholipid classes. The phospholipids of differentiated cells had a higher content of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and lower amounts of monounsaturated (MUFA) and saturated fatty acids than subconfluent undifferentiated cells. Differentiated cells exhibited a higher ability to incorporate [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) into cellular phospholipids and a lower ability for incorporation into TG and CE. Incubation of subconfluent undifferentiated cells with aldosterone or dexamethasone was without effect on the content of lipids, their fatty acids and [3H]AA incorporation. In contrast, aldosterone treatment of differentiated cells diminished the content of TG, increased the content of phospholipids and modulated their fatty acid composition. The percentage of n-6 and n-3 PUFA in phospholipids was increased and that of MUFA decreased, whereas no changes in TG were observed. The incorporation of [3H]AA into phospholipids was increased and into TG decreased and these changes were blocked by spironolactone. Treatment of differentiated cells with dexamethasone increased their CE content but no effect was identified upon other lipids, their fatty acid composition and on the incorporation of [3H]AA. As expected for the involvement of corticosteroid hormones the mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors were identified in Caco-2 cells by RT-PCR. The results suggest that aldosterone had a profound influence on lipid metabolism in enterocytes and that its effect depends on the stage of differentiation. The aldosterone-dependent changes occurring in phospholipids and their fatty acid composition may reflect a physiologically important phenomenon with long-term consequences for membrane structure and function.     

Selective acylation of alkyllysophospholipids by docosahexaenoic acid in Ehrlich ascites cells

Ehrlich ascites cells were cultured with 1-O-[3H]alkylglycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (1-[3H]alkyl-GPE) or 1-O-[3H]alkylglycero-3-phosphocholine (1-[3H]alkyl-GPC) to reveal the selective retention of polyunsaturated fatty acids at second position of ether-containing phospholipids. Although small percentages of the lysophospholipids were degraded into long-chain alcohol, both alkyllyso-GPE and -GPC were acylated at the rate of approximately 2 nmol/30 min per 10(7) cells. Alkylacylacetylglycerols were prepared from the acylated products by phospholipase C treatment, acetylation and TLC, and fractionated according to the degree of unsaturation by AgNO3-TLC. The distribution of the radioactivity among the subfractions indicated that both alkyllysophospholipids were mainly esterified by docosahexaenoic acid and to a somewhat lesser extent by arachidonic acid. The selectivity for docosahexaenoic acid in the esterification of 1-alkyl-GPE was much stronger than in that of 1-alkyl-GPC. Although acyl-CoA: 1-alkyl-glycerophosphoethanolamine acyltransferase activity of Ehrlich cell microsomes with arachidonoyl-CoA and docosahexaenoyl-CoA as acyl donors was negligible compared with the acyl-CoA:1-alkyl-glycerophosphocholine acyltransferase activity, a significant amount of 1-alkyl-GPE was acylated in the microsomes without exogenously added acyl-CoA. HPLC analysis revealed that docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid were mainly esterified by the microsomal transferase. Acylation of 1-alkyl-GPC with docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid was also observed in the absence of added acyl-CoA, but the activity was lower than that for 1-alkyl-GPE. Although the source of the acyl donor in the acylation has not been determined, the acylation is probably due to the direct transfer of acyl groups between intact phospholipids. The above results provided the first evidence that the lysophospholipid acyltransferase system including the transacylase activity participates in the selective retention of docosahexaenoic acid in intact cells and a cell free system.     

In vitro modification of cholesterol content of rat liver microsomes. Effects upon membrane 'fluidity' and activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and fatty acid desaturation systems

The cholesterol content of rat liver microsomal membranes was modified in vitro by incubating microsomes and cytosol with liposomes prepared by sonication of microsomal lipids and cholesterol. In this way, the cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio was increased from 0.11-0.13 in untreated microsomes to a maximal of 0.8 in treated ones. Cholesterol incorporation in microsomes produced an increase in the diphenyl-hexatriene steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and a decrease in the efficiency of pyrene-excimer formation which indicated a decrease in the rotational and translational mobility, respectively, of these probes in the membranes lipid phase. Cholesterol incorporation in microsomes did not affect significantly the glucose-6-phosphatase activity in 0.1% Triton X-100 totally disrupted microsomes, but diminished the glucose-6-phosphatase activity of 'intact' microsomes. This indicates that possibly the glucose 6-phosphate translocation across the microsomal membrane is impeded by an increase in the membrane apparent 'microviscosity'. Cholesterol incorporation in microsomes decreased NADH-cytochrome c reductase without affecting NADH-ferricyanide reductase activity. The delta 9 desaturation reaction rate was enhanced by cholesterol incorporation at low but not at high palmitic acid substrate concentration. delta 5 and delta 6 desaturase reaction-rates were increased both at low and high fatty acid substrate concentrations. These results suggest that a mechanism involving fatty acid desaturase enzymes, might exist to self-regulate the microsomal membrane lipid phase 'fluidity' in the rat liver.     

Changes in Cerebral Acyl-CoA Concentrations Following Ischemia-Reperfusion in Awake Gerbils

Abstract: Transient global cerebral ischemia affects phospholipid metabolism and features a considerable increase in unesterified fatty acids. Reincorporation of free fatty acids into membrane phospholipids during reperfusion following transient ischemia depends on conversion of fatty acids to acyl-CoAs via acyl-CoA synthetases and incorporation of the acyl group into lysophospholipids. To study the effect of ischemia-reperfusion on brain fatty acid and acyl-CoA pools, the common carotid arteries were tied for 5 min in awake gerbils, after which the ligatures were released for 5 min and the animals were killed by microwave irradiation. Twenty percent of these animals (two of 10) were excluded from the ischemia-reperfusion group when it was demonstrated statistically that brain unesterified arachidonic acid concentration was not elevated beyond the range of the control group. Brain unesterified fatty acid concentration was increased 4.4-fold in the ischemic-reperfused animals, with stearic acid and arachidonic acid increasing the most among the saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. The total acyl-CoA concentration remained unaffected, indicating that reacylation of membrane lysophospholipids is maintained during recovery. However, there was a substantial increase in the stearoyl- and arachidonoyl-CoA and a marked decrease in palmitoyl- and docosahexaenoyl-CoA. These results suggest that unesterified fatty acid reacylation into phospholipids is reprioritized according to the redistribution in concentration of acyl-CoA molecular species, with incorporation of stearic acid and especially arachidonic acid being favored.     

Reverse reaction of lysophosphatidylinositol acyltransferase. Functional reconstitution of coenzyme A-dependent transacylation system

CoA-dependent transacylation activity in microsomes catalyzes the transfer of fatty acid between phospholipids and lysophospholipids in the presence of CoA without the generation of free fatty acid. We examined the mechanism of the transacylation system using partially purified acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) acyltransferase (LPIAT) from rat liver microsomes to test our hypothesis that both the reverse and forward reactions of acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferases are involved in the CoA-dependent transacylation process. The purified LPIAT fraction exhibited ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthetic activity and CoA-dependent LPI generation from PI, suggesting that LPIAT could operate in reverse to form acyl-CoA and LPI. CoA-dependent acylation of LPI by the purified LPIAT fraction required PI as the acyl donor. In addition, the combination of purified LPIAT and recombinant lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase could reconstitute CoA-dependent transacylation between PI and phosphatidic acid. These results suggest that the CoA-dependent transacylation system consists of the following: 1) acyl-CoA synthesis from phospholipid through the reverse action of acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferases; and 2) transfer of fatty acyl moiety from the newly formed acyl-CoA to lysophospholipid through the forward action of acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferases.     

Effect of alpha-tocopherol and phospholipids with omega-3 fatty acids on membrane properties

As a result of the investigations conducted it was displayed, that alpha-tocopherol and phospholipids including into their composition omega-3-acids, differed in their influencing the composition of heart microsomes membranes lipids. The insufficient quantity of vitamin E in the animals ration was defined as leading to the cardiac microsomes lisophospholipids (lisophosphatidylcholin, lisophospatidylethanolamin), diphosphatidylglycerol increase as well as to the tendency to sphingomyeline and phosphatidylethanolamin decrease. While administrating both alpha-tocopherol and the complex of phospholipids with omega-3-fatty acids, the correction of the phospholipids composition microsomes membranes is observed as tending towards their stabilization, however the marine phospholipids complex is more active than alpha-tocopherol. Administration of phospholipids with omega-3-fatty acids during the period of 30 days provided for the increase of relationship: polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids in the cardiac microsomal membranes, evidencing about increasing the unsaturated cellular membranes. While administrating the phospholipids, into the cardiac microsomes the eicozepentaenic acid was identified, failing to be in the norm, docozahexaenic acid content increased. The results obtained testify, that at the pathology there are changes in the quantitative relationship of membrane phospholipids and fatty acids, being a result of changing the biomembranes permeability as well as their functions disturbances. The adverse effect of E-deficiency to the membrane structure was revealed as capable to be regulated by the marine phospholipid complex, including omega-3-fatty acids.     

Neutral and polar lipid metabolism in liver microsomes of growing rats fed a calcium-deficient diet

We studied the incorporation of (14)C-labeled fatty acids and glycerol into different classes of glycerolipids in an in vitro system containing liver microsomes from growing Wistar rats fed a calcium-deficient (CaD; 0.5 g/kg) diet for a 60-day period. Desaturase activities and incorporation of the elongation-desaturation metabolites into specific neutral and polar glycerolipids were also studied and correlated with the activities of various enzymes involved in complex lipid metabolism (acyl-CoA synthase, acyl-CoA hydrolase, DAG-acyltransferase, DAG-kinase, lysophospatidate-acyl-CoA transferase, phosphatidate-phosphohydrolase and phospholipase A(2)). Low calcium condition led to a significant increase in the incorporation (relative amounts and specific activities) of both labeled fatty acids and glycerol with a preferential increase of labeling in neutral lipids rather than in phospholipids. Acyl-CoA synthetase, diacylglycerol acyltransferase and diacylglycerol-3-P acyltransferase activities were increased in low calcium microsomes while diacylglycerol kinase, phospholipase A(2) and palmitoyl-, stearoyl-, linoleyl-, alpha-linolenyl, and eicosatrienoyl-desaturases were decreased. The modifications observed in the interlipid and lipid/protein relationships, enzyme activities, and pattern of incorporation of labeled precursors into each glycerolipid class, suggest that decreased intake of calcium should be considered as a harmful risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases.     

ATP-independent fatty acyl-coenzyme A synthesis from phospholipid: coenzyme A-dependent transacylation activity toward lysophosphatidic acid catalyzed by acyl-coenzyme A:lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase

CoA-dependent transacylation activity in microsomes is known to catalyze the transfer of fatty acids between phospholipids and lysophospholipids in the presence of CoA without the generation of free fatty acids. We previously found a novel acyl-CoA synthetic pathway, ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthesis from phospholipids. We proposed that: 1) the ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthesis is due to the reverse reaction of acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferases and 2) the reverse and forward reactions of acyltransferases can combine to form a CoA-dependent transacylation system. To test these proposals, we examined whether or not recombinant mouse acyl-CoA:1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (lysophosphatidic acid, LPA) acyltransferase (LPAAT) could catalyze ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthetic activity and CoA-dependent transacylation activity. ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthesis was indeed found in the membrane fraction from Escherichia coli cells expressing mouse LPAAT, whereas negligible activity was observed in mock-transfected cells. Phosphatidic acid (PA), but not free fatty acids, served as an acyl donor for the reaction, and LPA was formed from PA in a CoA-dependent manner during acyl-CoA synthesis. These results indicate that the ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthesis was due to the reverse reaction of LPAAT. In addition, bacterial membranes containing LPAAT catalyzed CoA-dependent acylation of LPA; PA but not free fatty acid served as an acyl donor. These results indicate that the CoA-dependent transacylation of LPA consists of 1) acyl-CoA synthesis from PA through the reverse action of LPAAT and 2) the transfer of the fatty acyl moiety of the newly formed acyl-CoA to LPA through the forward reaction of LPAAT.     

Intraorganelle localization and substrate specificities of the mitochondrial acyl-CoA: sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase and acyl-CoA: 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase from potato tubers and pea leaves

The mitochondrial sn-glycerol-3-phosphate and 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferases from potato tubers and pea leaves were investigated with respect to their intraorganelle localization, their positional and substrate specificities, and their fatty acid selectivities. In mitochondria from potato tubers both enzymes were found to be located in the outer membrane. The 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase of pea mitochondria showed the same intraorganelle localization whereas the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase behaved like a soluble protein of the intermembrane space. The sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase of both potato and pea mitochondria used sn-glycerol-3-phosphate but not dihydroxyacetone phosphate as acyl acceptor and exclusively catalyzed the formation of 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate which subsequently served as substrate for the second acylation reaction at its C-2 position. Both acyltransferases of potato as well as pea mitochondria showed higher activities with acyl-CoA than with the corresponding acyl-(acyl carrier protein) thioesters. When different acyl-CoA thioesters were offered separately, the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase of potato mitochondria displayed no fatty acid specificity whereas the enzyme of pea mitochondria revealed one for saturated acyl groups. On the other hand, the mitochondrial 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferases from both potato tubers and pea leaves were more active on unsaturated than on saturated acyl-CoA thioesters. Furthermore, these enzymes preferentially used oleoyl- and linoleoyl-CoA when they were offered in a mixture with saturated ones, although the fatty acid selectivity of the pea enzyme was less pronounced than that of the potato enzyme. The sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase of potato mitochondria displayed a slight preference for saturated acyl groups.     

Phospholipid spin probes measure the effects of ethanol on the molecular order of liver microsomes

Ethanol, in vitro, is known to perturb the molecular order of the phospholipids in biological membranes, while chronic ethanol exposure, in vivo, leads to resistance to disordering. Such changes have usually been measured by electron spin resonance, utilizing fatty acid spin probes. The use of such probes is controversial, since their orientation in the membrane may not accurately represent that of individual phospholipids. We, therefore, compared ethanol-induced structural perturbations in the membranes of rat hepatic microsomes measured with the spin probe 12-doxylstearic acid (SA 12) with those assayed with various phospholipid spin probes. With SA 12, the addition of increasing amounts of ethanol (50-250 mM) in vitro caused a progressive decrease in the membrane molecular order, as measured by electron spin resonance (ESR). By contrast, microsomes obtained from rats chronically fed ethanol were resistant to the disordering effect of ethanol. Microsomes labeled with the phospholipid spin probes 1-palmitoyl-2-(12-doxylstearoyl)phosphatidylcholine, -phosphatidylethanolamine, or -phosphatidic acid also exhibited increased disordering with the addition of increasing amounts of ethanol. However, the effect noted with phospholipid spin probes was less than that observed with the fatty acid probe. Microsomes obtained from the livers of chronically intoxicated animals labeled with the phospholipid probes were also resistant to the disordering effects of ethanol in vitro. These results suggest that fatty acid spin probes are qualitatively valid for measuring membrane perturbations in biological membranes, ethanol affects all microsomal phospholipids, regardless of chemical dissimilarities (e.g., head-group structure), in a qualitatively similar fashion, and the fluidization of fatty acyl chains in microsomal membranes is comparable in different membrane phospholipids.     

Ethanol sensitivity and fatty acid composition of chick liver mitochondrial and microsomal membranes

Fatty acid composition of hepatic mitochondrial and microsomal membranes was studied in 2-day-old chicks exposed to ethanol for 60 h (short treatment) or 18 days (chronic treatment). Short ethanol treatment induced in mitochondria an increase in the 18:1/18:0 ratio as a consequence of both an increase in the percentage of oleic and a decrease in that of stearic acid. Likewise, a clear decrease in the polyunsaturated fatty acids and in the 20:4/18:2 ratio was found in mitochondria after short ethanol administration. Microsomal membranes were practically unaffected by this treatment. However, chronic ethanol exposure produced a significant increase in the percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids in both mitochondria and microsomes as well as a decrease in the 18:1/18:0 ratio. These results suggest that delta 9 desaturase modifies its activity in response to ethanol treatment with a different pattern to those showed by delta 6 and delta 5 desaturase activities.     

De novo synthesis and elongation of fatty acids by subcellar fractions of monkey aorta

Subcellular fractions of aorta of squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) were examined for their ability to synthesize and elongate fatty acids. High-speed supernate (HSS) incorporated substantial quantities of malonyl CoA into fatty acids while acetyl CoA was much less effectively utilized. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity exceeded the amount of acetyl CoA incorporated into fatty acids and thus does not account for the low incorporation of this substrate. Microsomes used malonyl CoA and acetyl CoA equally well; mitochondria incorporated either acetyl CoA or acetate. The amounts of substrate incorporated into fatty acids (m micro moles/mg of protein per hr) were 2.3 for HSS, 1.2 for microsomes, and 0.9 for mitochondria. The synthesized fatty acids were separated by gas-liquid chromatography, radioassayed, extracted from the scintillation fluid, and decarboxylated. HSS completely synthesized palmitic and stearic acids from malonyl CoA. Microsomes and mitochondria utilized acetyl CoA to elongate endogenous fatty acids and gave mainly palmitic, stearic, and C(18) and C(20) monoenoic acids, with lesser amounts of other saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. A significant quantity of malonyl CoA was utilized by microsomes to yield a fatty acid tentatively identified as docosapentaenoic. Radioactive fatty acids are incorporated into various lipid classes by the particulate preparations. These studies demonstrate that aortic tissue in a nonhuman primate is able to carry out several processes of fatty acid metabolism and that the aortic synthesis and elongation of fatty acids may play an important role in providing fatty acids for incorporation into aortic lipids.