Reassessing the Potential Activities of Plant CGI-58 Protein

Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58) is a widespread protein found in animals and plants. This protein has been shown to participate in lipolysis in mice and humans by activating Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), the initial enzyme responsible for the triacylglycerol (TAG) catabolism cascade. Human mutation of CGI-58 is the cause of Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, an orphan disease characterized by a systemic accumulation of TAG which engenders tissue disorders. The CGI-58 protein has also been shown to participate in neutral lipid metabolism in plants and, in this case, a mutation again provokes TAG accumulation. Although its roles as an ATGL coactivator and in lipid metabolism are quite clear, the catalytic activity of CGI-58 is still in question. The acyltransferase activities of CGI-58 have been speculated about, reported or even dismissed and experimental evidence that CGI-58 expressed in E. coli possesses an unambiguous catalytic activity is still lacking. To address this problem, we developed a new set of plasmids and site-directed mutants to elucidate the in vivo effects of CGI-58 expression on lipid metabolism in E. coli. By analyzing the lipid composition in selected E. coli strains expressing CGI-58 proteins, and by reinvestigating enzymatic tests with adequate controls, we show here that recombinant plant CGI-58 has none of the proposed activities previously described. Recombinant plant and mouse CGI-58 both lack acyltransferase activity towards either lysophosphatidylglycerol or lysophosphatidic acid to form phosphatidylglycerol or phosphatidic acid and recombinant plant CGI-58 does not catalyze TAG or phospholipid hydrolysis. However, expression of recombinant plant CGI-58, but not mouse CGI-58, led to a decrease in phosphatidylglycerol in all strains of E. coli tested, and a mutation of the putative catalytic residues restored a wild-type phenotype. The potential activities of plant CGI-58 are subsequently discussed.     

比较基因识别-58

比较基因识别-58（comparative gene identification-58,CGI-58）属于脂肪酶家族,是脂肪性甘油三酯脂肪酶的激活蛋白,在调控脂肪代谢方面发挥着至关重要的作用,也是调控角质形成细胞的分化过程的重要分子。另外,CGI-58还具有溶血磷脂酸酰基转移酶活性,可将溶血磷脂酸酰化成磷脂酸。若CGI-58的基因发生突变,会引发一种隐性遗传的中性脂肪蓄积病——Chanarin—Dorfman综合征（Chanarin-Dorfman symptom,CDS）,病体表现出鱼鳞病。本文将针对CGI-58调控脂肪代谢以及其它方面的功能,对近些年来CGI-58的研究进展进行综述。     

CGI-58, the causative gene for Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, mediates acylation of lysophosphatidic acid

cgi-58 (comparative gene identification-58) is a member of alpha/beta-hydrolase family of proteins. Mutations in CGI-58 are shown to be responsible for a rare genetic disorder known as Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, characterized by an excessive accumulation of triacylglycerol in several tissues and ichthyosis. We have earlier reported that YLR099c encoding Ict1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can acylate lysophosphatidic acid to phosphatidic acid. Here we report that human CGI-58 is closely related to ICT1. To understand the biochemical function of cgi-58, the gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant protein was found to specifically acylate lysophosphatidic acid in an acyl-CoA-dependent manner. Overexpression of CGI-58 in S. cerevisiae showed an increase in the formation of phosphatidic acid resulting in an overall increase in the total phospholipids. However, the triacylglycerol level was found to be significantly reduced. In addition, the physiological significance of cgi-58 in mice white adipose tissue was studied. We found soluble lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase activity in mouse white adipose tissue. Immunoblot analysis using anti-Ict1p antibodies followed by mass spectrometry of the immunocross-reactive protein in lipid droplets revealed its identity as cgi-58. These observations suggest the existence of an alternate cytosolic phosphatidic acid biosynthetic pathway in the white adipose tissue. Collectively, these results reveal the role of cgi-58 as an acyltransferase.     

Functional Cardiac Lipolysis in Mice Critically Depends on Comparative Gene Identification-58

Efficient catabolism of cellular triacylglycerol (TG) stores requires the TG hydrolytic activity of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL). The presence of comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) strongly increased ATGL-mediated TG catabolism in cell culture experiments. Mutations in the genes coding for ATGL or CGI-58 in humans cause neutral lipid storage disease characterized by TG accumulation in multiple tissues. ATGL gene mutations cause a severe phenotype especially in cardiac muscle leading to cardiomyopathy that can be lethal. In contrast, CGI-58 gene mutations provoke severe ichthyosis and hepatosteatosis in humans and mice, whereas the role of CGI-58 in muscle energy metabolism is less understood. Here we show that mice lacking CGI-58 exclusively in muscle (CGI-58KOM) developed severe cardiac steatosis and cardiomyopathy linked to impaired TG catabolism and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. The marked increase in ATGL protein levels in cardiac muscle of CGI-58KOM mice was unable to compensate the lack of CGI-58. The addition of recombinant CGI-58 to cardiac lysates of CGI-58KOM mice completely reconstituted TG hydrolytic activities. In skeletal muscle, the lack of CGI-58 similarly provoked TG accumulation. The addition of recombinant CGI-58 increased TG hydrolytic activities in control and CGI-58KOM tissue lysates, elucidating the limiting role of CGI-58 in skeletal muscle TG catabolism. Finally, muscle CGI-58 deficiency affected whole body energy homeostasis, which is caused by impaired muscle TG catabolism and increased cardiac glucose uptake. In summary, this study demonstrates that functional muscle lipolysis depends on both CGI-58 and ATGL.     

CGI-58/ABHD5 is a coenzyme A-dependent lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase

Mutations in human CGI-58/ABHD5 cause Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome (CDS), characterized by excessive storage of triacylglycerol in tissues. CGI-58 is an α/β-hydrolase fold enzyme expressed in all vertebrates. The carboxyl terminus includes a highly conserved consensus sequence (HXXXXD) for acyltransferase activity. Mouse CGI-58 was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with two amino terminal 6-histidine tags. Recombinant CGI-58 displayed acyl-CoA-dependent acyltransferase activity to lysophosphatidic acid, but not to other lysophospholipid or neutral glycerolipid acceptors. Production of phosphatidic acid increased with time and increasing concentrations of recombinant CGI-58 and was optimal between pH 7.0 and 8.5. The enzyme showed saturation kinetics with respect to 1-oleoyl-lysophosphatidic acid and oleoyl-CoA and preference for arachidonoyl-CoA and oleoyl-CoA. The enzyme showed slight preference for 1-oleoyl lysophosphatidic acid over 1-palmitoyl, 1-stearoyl, or 1-arachidonoyl lysophosphatidic acid. Recombinant CGI-58 showed intrinsic fluorescence for tryptophan that was quenched by the addition of 1-oleoyl-lysophosphatidic acid, oleoyl-CoA, arachidonoyl-CoA, and palmitoyl-CoA, but not by lysophosphatidyl choline. Expression of CGI-58 in fibroblasts from humans with CDS increased the incorporation of radiolabeled fatty acids released from the lipolysis of stored triacylglycerols into phospholipids. CGI-58 is a CoA-dependent lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase that channels fatty acids released from the hydrolysis of stored triacylglycerols into phospholipids.     

CGI-58/ABHD5 is phosphorylated on Ser239 by protein kinase A: control of subcellular localization

CGI-58/ABHD5 coactivates adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL). In adipocytes, CGI-58 binds to perilipin 1A on lipid droplets under basal conditions, preventing interaction with ATGL. Upon activation of protein kinase A (PKA), perilipin 1A is phosphorylated and CGI-58 rapidly disperses into the cytoplasm, enabling lipase coactivation. Because the amino acid sequence of murine CGI-58 has a predicted PKA consensus sequence of RKYS²³⁹S²⁴⁰, we hypothesized that phosphorylation of CGI-58 is involved in this process. We show that Ser239 of murine CGI-58 is a substrate for PKA using phosphoamino acid analysis, MS, and immuno­blotting approaches to study phosphorylation of recombinant CGI-58 and endogenous CGI-58 of adipose tissue. Phosphorylation of CGI-58 neither increased nor impaired coactivation of ATGL in vitro. Moreover, Ser239 was not required for CGI-58 function to increase triacylglycerol turnover in human neutral lipid storage disorder fibroblasts that lack endogenous CGI-58. Both CGI-58 and S239A/S240A-mutated CGI-58 localized to perilipin 1A-coated lipid droplets in cells. When PKA was activated, WT CGI-58 dispersed into the cytoplasm, whereas substantial S239A/S240A-mutated CGI-58 remained on lipid droplets. Perilipin phosphorylation also contributed to CGI-58 dispersion. PKA-mediated phosphorylation of CGI-58 is required for dispersion of CGI-58 from perilipin 1A-coated lipid droplets, thereby increasing CGI-58 availability for ATGL coactivation.     

Growth Retardation, Impaired Triacylglycerol Catabolism, Hepatic Steatosis, and Lethal Skin Barrier Defect in Mice Lacking Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58)

Comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58), also designated as α/β-hydrolase domain containing-5 (ABHD-5), is a lipid droplet-associated protein that activates adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and acylates lysophosphatidic acid. Activation of ATGL initiates the hydrolytic catabolism of cellular triacylglycerol (TG) stores to glycerol and nonesterified fatty acids. Mutations in both ATGL and CGI-58 cause “neutral lipid storage disease” characterized by massive accumulation of TG in various tissues. The analysis of CGI-58-deficient (Cgi-58^−/−) mice, presented in this study, reveals a dual function of CGI-58 in lipid metabolism. First, systemic TG accumulation and severe hepatic steatosis in newborn Cgi-58^−/− mice establish a limiting role for CGI-58 in ATGL-mediated TG hydrolysis and supply of nonesterified fatty acids as energy substrate. Second, a severe skin permeability barrier defect uncovers an essential ATGL-independent role of CGI-58 in skin lipid metabolism. The neonatal lethal skin barrier defect is linked to an impaired hydrolysis of epidermal TG. As a consequence, sequestration of fatty acids in TG prevents the synthesis of acylceramides, which are essential lipid precursors for the formation of a functional skin permeability barrier. This mechanism may also underlie the pathogenesis of ichthyosis in neutral lipid storage disease patients lacking functional CGI-58.     

CGI-58在动物脂类代谢中的作用

细胞中脂滴(Lipid droplets, LDs)表面存在多个调控脂肪储存和分解的蛋白, 这些蛋白对机体的脂肪代谢起着很重要的调控作用。CGI-58(Comparative gene identification-58)分布在LDs表面, 属于α/β水解酶折叠家族, 是脂肪甘油三酯脂肪酶(Adipose triglyceride lipase, ATGL)和依赖酰基辅酶A溶血磷脂酸酰基转移酶(Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, LPAAT)的激活剂。在脂肪分解过程中, CGI-58结合PAT蛋白家族成员之一的脂滴包被蛋白(Perlipin)和ATGL, 促进脂肪分解, 同时CGI-58对ATGL的激活功能受脂滴包被蛋白家族成员间蛋白质与蛋白质相互作用的影响。文章结合国内外研究热点, 针对CGI-58在动物脂类代谢中的作用进行了综述。     

CGI-58 facilitates lipolysis on lipid droplets but is not involved in the vesiculation of lipid droplets caused by hormonal stimulation

A lipid droplet (LD)-associated protein, perilipin, is a critical regulator of lipolysis in adipocytes. We previously showed that Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58), a product of the causal gene of Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, interacts with perilipin on LDs. In this study, we investigated the function of CGI-58 using RNA interference. Notably, CGI-58 knockdown caused an abnormal accumulation of LDs in both 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and Hepa1 hepatoma cells. CGI-58 knockdown did not influence the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes but reduced the activity of both basal and cAMP-dependent protein kinase-stimulated lipolysis. In vitro studies showed that CGI-58 itself does not have lipase/esterase activity, but it enhanced the activity of adipose triglyceride lipase. Upon lipolytic stimulation, endogenous CGI-58 was rapidly dispersed from LDs into the cytosol along with small particulate structures. This shift in localization depends on the phosphorylation of perilipin, because phosphorylated perilipin lost the ability to bind CGI-58. During lipolytic activation, LDs in adipocytes vesiculate into micro-LDs. Using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy, we pursued the formation of micro-LDs in single cells, which seemed to occur in cytoplasmic regions distant from the large central LDs. CGI-58 is not required for this process. Thus, CGI-58 facilitates lipolysis in cooperation with perilipin and other factors, including lipases.     

Regulation of skeletal muscle lipolysis and oxidative metabolism by the co-lipase CGI-58

We investigated here the specific role of CGI-58 in the regulation of energy metabolism in skeletal muscle. We first examined CGI-58 protein expression in various muscle types in mice, and next modulated CGI-58 expression during overexpression and knockdown studies in human primary myotubes and evaluated the consequences on oxidative metabolism. We observed a preferential expression of CGI-58 in oxidative muscles in mice consistent with triacylglycerol hydrolase activity. We next showed by pulse-chase that CGI-58 overexpression increased by more than 2-fold the rate of triacylglycerol (TAG) hydrolysis, as well as TAG-derived fatty acid (FA) release and oxidation. Oppositely, CGI-58 silencing reduced TAG hydrolysis and TAG-derived FA release and oxidation (-77%, P < 0.001), whereas it increased glucose oxidation and glycogen synthesis. Interestingly, modulations of CGI-58 expression and FA release are reflected by changes in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 gene expression. This regulation involves the activation of the peroxisome proliferator activating receptor-δ (PPARδ) by lipolysis products. Altogether, these data reveal that CGI-58 plays a limiting role in the control of oxidative metabolism by modulating FA availability and the expression of PPARδ-target genes, and highlight an important metabolic function of CGI-58 in skeletal muscle.     

CGI-58 facilitates the mobilization of cytoplasmic triglyceride for lipoprotein secretion in hepatoma cells

Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58) is a member of the alpha/beta-hydrolase family of proteins. Mutations in the human CGI-58 gene are associated with Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease in which excessive triglyceride (TG) accumulation occurs in multiple tissues. In this study, we investigated the role of CGI-58 in cellular lipid metabolism in several cell models and discovered a role for CGI-58 in promoting the packaging of cytoplasmic TG into secreted lipoprotein particles in hepatoma cells. Using both gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches, we demonstrate that CGI-58 facilitates the depletion of cellular TG stores without altering cellular cholesterol or phospholipid accumulation. This depletion of cellular TG is attributable solely to augmented hydrolysis, whereas TG synthesis was not affected by CGI-58. Furthermore, CGI-58-mediated TG hydrolysis can be completely inhibited by the known lipase inhibitors diethylumbelliferyl phosphate and diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate, but not by p-chloro-mercuribenzoate. Intriguingly, CGI-58-driven TG hydrolysis was coupled to increases in both fatty acid oxidation and secretion of TG. Collectively, this study reveals a role for CGI-58 in coupling lipolytic degradation of cytoplasmic TG to oxidation and packaging into TG-rich lipoproteins for secretion in hepatoma cells.     

CGI-58 knockdown in mice causes hepatic steatosis but prevents diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance

Mutations of Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58) in humans cause triglyceride (TG) accumulation in multiple tissues. Mice genetically lacking CGI-58 die shortly after birth due to a skin barrier defect. To study the role of CGI-58 in integrated lipid and energy metabolism, we utilized antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to inhibit CGI-58 expression in adult mice. Treatment with two distinct CGI-58-targeting ASOs resulted in ∼80–95% knockdown of CGI-58 protein expression in both liver and white adipose tissue. In chow-fed mice, ASO-mediated depletion of CGI-58 did not alter weight gain, plasma TG, or plasma glucose, yet raised hepatic TG levels ∼4-fold. When challenged with a high-fat diet (HFD), CGI-58 ASO-treated mice were protected against diet-induced obesity, but their hepatic contents of TG, diacylglycerols, and ceramides were all elevated, and intriguingly, their hepatic phosphatidylglycerol content was increased by 10-fold. These hepatic lipid alterations were associated with significant decreases in hepatic TG hydrolase activity, hepatic lipoprotein-TG secretion, and plasma concentrations of ketones, nonesterified fatty acids, and insulin. Additionally, HFD-fed CGI-58 ASO-treated mice were more glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive. Collectively, this work demonstrates that CGI-58 plays a critical role in limiting hepatic steatosis and maintaining hepatic glycerophospholipid homeostasis and has unmasked an unexpected role for CGI-58 in promoting HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance.     

Identification of a novel splicing isoform of murine CGI-58

The comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) gene, mutations of which are linked to Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, encodes a protein of the α/β hydrolase domain subfamily. We report here a new alternative splicing isoform of the murine CGI-58 gene, termed mCGI-58S. Sequence comparison indicates the lack of second and third exons in this cDNA variant. While the full-length protein displayed perilipin-dependent localization to lipid droplets, mCGI-58S showed a predominant cytoplasmic staining when expressed in cells. mCGI-58S was incapable of activating adipose triglyceride lipase but retained the capacity to acylate lysophosphatidic acid. Overexpression of mCGI-58S failed to promote lipid droplet turnover and loss of intracellular triacylglycerols. These results suggest that this splicing event may be involved in the regulation of lipid homeostasis.     

Cardiac-specific CGI-58 deficiency activates the ER stress pathway to promote heart failure in mice

Excess myocardial triacylglycerol accumulation (i.e., cardiac steatosis) impairs heart function, suggesting that enzymes promoting triacylglycerol metabolism exert essential regulatory effects on heart function. Comparative gene identification 58 (CGI-58) is a key enzyme that promotes the hydrolysis of triglycerides by activating adipose triglyceride lipase and plays a protective role in maintaining heart function. In this study, the effects of CGI-58 on heart function and the underlying mechanism were investigated using cardiac-specific CGI58-knockout mice (CGI-58^cko mice). Echocardiography and pathological staining were performed to detect changes in the structure and function of the heart. Proteomic profiling, immunofluorescent staining, western blotting, and real-time PCR were used to evaluate molecular changes. In CGI-58^cko mice, we detected cardiac hypertrophic remodeling and heart failure associated with excessive cardiac lipid accumulation, ROS production, and decreased expression of regulators of fatty acid metabolism. These changes were markedly attenuated in CGI-58^cko mice injected with rAAV9-CGI58. A quantitative proteomics analysis revealed significant increases in the expression of ER stress-related proteins and decreases in proteins related to fatty acid and amino acid metabolism in the hearts of CGI-58^cko mice. Furthermore, the inhibition of ER stress by the inhibitor 4-PBA improved mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced oxidative stress, and reversed cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in cultured cardiomyocytes or in CGI-58^cko mice. Our results suggested that CGI-58 is essential for the maintenance of heart function by reducing lipid accumulation and ER stress in cardiomyocytes, providing a new therapeutic target for cardiac steatosis and dysfunction.Subject terms: Heart failure, Heart failure     

Comparative gene identification 58/α/β hydrolase domain 5 lacks lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase activity

Mutations in the gene encoding comparative gene identification 58 (CGI-58)/α/β hydrolase domain 5 (ABHD5) cause Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, characterized by excessive triacylglycerol storage in cells and tissues. CGI-58 has been identified as a coactivator of adipose TG lipase (ATGL) and a lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT). We developed a molecular model of CGI-58 structure and then mutated predicted active site residues and performed LPAAT activity assays of recombinant WT and mutated CGI-58. When mutations of predicted catalytic residues failed to reduce LPAAT activity, we determined that LPAAT activity was due to a bacterial contaminant of affinity purification procedures, plsC, the sole LPAAT in Escherichia coli. Purification protocols were optimized to reduce plsC contamination, in turn reducing LPAAT activity. When CGI-58 was expressed in SM2-1(DE3) cells that lack plsC, lysates lacked LPAAT activity. Additionally, mouse CGI-58 expressed in bacteria as a glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein and human CGI-58 expressed in yeast lacked LPAAT activity. Previously reported lipid binding activity of CGI-58 was revisited using protein-lipid overlays. Recombinant CGI-58 failed to bind lysophosphatidic acid, but interestingly, bound phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PI(3)P] and phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate [PI(5)P]. Prebinding CGI-58 with PI(3)P or PI(5)P did not alter its coactivation of ATGL in vitro. In summary, purified recombinant CGI-58 that is functional as an ATGL coactivator lacks LPAAT activity.     

Deletion of CGI-58 or adipose triglyceride lipase differently affects macrophage function and atherosclerosis

Cellular TG stores are efficiently hydrolyzed by adipose TG lipase (ATGL). Its coactivator comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) strongly increases ATGL-mediated TG catabolism in cell culture experiments. To investigate the consequences of CGI-58 deficiency in murine macrophages, we generated mice with a targeted deletion of CGI-58 in myeloid cells (macCGI-58^−/− mice). CGI-58^−/− macrophages accumulate intracellular TG-rich lipid droplets and have decreased phagocytic capacity, comparable to ATGL^−/− macrophages. In contrast to ATGL^−/− macrophages, however, CGI-58^−/− macrophages have intact mitochondria and show no indications of mitochondrial apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress, suggesting that TG accumulation per se lacks a significant role in processes leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. Another notable difference is the fact that CGI-58^−/− macrophages adopt an M1-like phenotype in vitro. Finally, we investigated atherosclerosis susceptibility in macCGI-58/ApoE-double KO (DKO) animals. In response to high-fat/high-cholesterol diet feeding, DKO animals showed comparable plaque formation as observed in ApoE^−/− mice. In agreement, antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of CGI-58 in LDL receptor^−/− mice did not alter atherosclerosis burden in the aortic root. These results suggest that macrophage function and atherosclerosis susceptibility differ fundamentally in these two animal models with disturbed TG catabolism, showing a more severe phenotype by ATGL deficiency.     

Transgenic CGI-58 expression in macrophages alleviates the atherosclerotic lesion development in ApoE knockout mice

Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58), as an adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) activator, strongly increases ATGL-mediated triglyceride (TG) catabolism. Previous studies have shown that CGI-58 affects intestinal cholesterol homeostasis independently of ATGL activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that CGI-58 was involved in macrophage cholesterol metabolism and consequently atherosclerotic lesion formation. Here, we generated macrophage-specific CGI-58 transgenic mice (Mac-CGI-58 Tg) using an SRA promoter, which was further mated with ApoE^−/− mice to create litters of CGI-58 Tg/ApoE^−/− mice. These CGI-58 Tg/ApoE^−/− mice exhibited an anti-atherosclerosis phenotype compared with wild type (WT) controls (CGI-58 WT/ApoE^−/−), illustrated by less plaque area in aortic roots. Moreover, macrophage-specific CGI-58 overexpression in mice resulted in up-regulated levels of plasma total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. Consequently, higher expression levels of PPARa, PPARγ, LXRα, ABCA1, and ABCG1 were detected in macrophages from CGI-58 Tg/ApoE^−/− mice compared to CGI-58 WT/ApoE^−/− counterparts, which were accompanied by elevated macrophage cholesterol efflux toward HDL and Apo A1. Nevertheless, serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were reduced by macrophage-specific CGI-58 overexpression. Finally, bone marrow (BM) transplantation experiments further revealed that ApoE^−/− mice reconstituted with Mac-CGI-58 Tg BM cells (ApoE^−/−/Tg-BM chimera) displayed a significant reduction of atherosclerosis lesions compared with control mice reconstituted with Mac-CGI-58 WT BM cells (ApoE^−/−/WT-BM chimera). Collectively, these data strongly suggest that CGI-58 overexpression in macrophages may protect against atherosclerosis development in mice.     

Adipose triglyceride lipase-mediated lipolysis of cellular fat stores is activated by CGI-58 and defective in Chanarin-Dorfman Syndrome

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) was recently identified as an important triacylglycerol (TG) hydrolase promoting the catabolism of stored fat in adipose and nonadipose tissues. We now demonstrate that efficient ATGL enzyme activity requires activation by CGI-58. Mutations in the human CGI-58 gene are associated with Chanarin-Dorfman Syndrome (CDS), a rare genetic disease where TG accumulates excessively in multiple tissues. CGI-58 interacts with ATGL, stimulating its TG hydrolase activity up to 20-fold. Alleles of CGI-58 carrying point mutations associated with CDS fail to activate ATGL. Moreover, CGI-58/ATGL coexpression attenuates lipid accumulation in COS-7 cells. Antisense RNA-mediated reduction of CGI-58 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes inhibits TG mobilization. Finally, expression of functional CGI-58 in CDS fibroblasts restores lipolysis and reverses the abnormal TG accumulation typical for CDS. These data establish an important biochemical function for CGI-58 in the lipolytic degradation of fat, implicating this lipolysis activator in the pathogenesis of CDS.     

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.     

Unique regulation of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) by perilipin 5, a lipid droplet-associated protein

Lipolysis is a critical metabolic pathway contributing to energy homeostasis through degradation of triacylglycerides stored in lipid droplets (LDs), releasing fatty acids. Neutral lipid lipases act at the oil/water interface. In mammalian cells, LD surfaces are coated with one or more members of the perilipin protein family, which serve important functions in regulating lipolysis. We investigated mechanisms by which three perilipin proteins control lipolysis by adipocyte triglyceride lipase (ATGL), a key lipase in adipocytes and non-adipose cells. Using a cell culture model, we examined interactions of ATGL and its co-lipase CGI-58 with perilipin 1 (perilipin A), perilipin 2 (adipose differentiation-related protein), and perilipin 5 (LSDP5) using multiple techniques as follows: anisotropy Forster resonance energy transfer, co-immunoprecipitation, [(32)P]orthophosphate radiolabeling, and measurement of lipolysis. The results show that ATGL interacts with CGI-58 and perilipin 5; the latter is selectively expressed in oxidative tissues. Both proteins independently recruited ATGL to the LD surface, but with opposite effects; interaction of ATGL with CGI-58 increased lipolysis, whereas interaction of ATGL with perilipin 5 decreased lipolysis. In contrast, neither perilipin 1 nor 2 interacted directly with ATGL. Activation of protein kinase A (PKA) increased [(32)P]orthophosphate incorporation into perilipin 5 by 2-fold, whereas neither ATGL nor CGI-58 was labeled under the incubation conditions. Cells expressing both ectopic perilipin 5 and ATGL showed a 3-fold increase in lipolysis following activation of PKA. Our studies establish perilipin 5 as a novel ATGL partner and provide evidence that the protein composition of perilipins at the LD surface regulates lipolytic activity of ATGL.