scholarly journals Determining the Bioenergetic Capacity for Fatty Acid Oxidation in the Mammalian Nervous System

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cory J. White ◽  
Jieun Lee ◽  
Joseph Choi ◽  
Tiffany Chu ◽  
Susanna Scafidi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The metabolic state of the brain can greatly impact neurologic function. Evidence of this includes the therapeutic benefit of a ketogenic diet in neurologic diseases, including epilepsy. However, brain lipid bioenergetics remain largely uncharacterized. The existence, capacity, and relevance of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) in the brain are highly controversial, with few genetic tools available to evaluate the question. We have provided evidence for the capacity of brain FAO using a pan-brain-specific conditional knockout (KO) mouse incapable of FAO due to the loss of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2, the product of an obligate gene for FAO (CPT2B−/−). Loss of central nervous system (CNS) FAO did not result in gross neuroanatomical changes or systemic differences in metabolism. Loss of CPT2 in the brain did not result in robustly impaired behavior. We demonstrate by unbiased and targeted metabolomics that the mammalian brain oxidizes a substantial quantity of long-chain fatty acids in vitro and in vivo. Loss of CNS FAO results in robust accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitines in the brain, suggesting that the mammalian brain mobilizes fatty acids for their oxidation, irrespective of diet or metabolic state. Together, these data demonstrate that the mammalian brain oxidizes fatty acids under normal circumstances with little influence from or on peripheral tissues.

2014 ◽  
Vol 457 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marthe H. R. Ludtmann ◽  
Plamena R. Angelova ◽  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Andrey Y. Abramov ◽  
Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova

Transcription factor Nrf2 affects fatty acid oxidation; the mitochondrial oxidation of long-chain (palmitic) and short-chain (hexanoic) saturated fatty acids is depressed in the absence of Nrf2 and accelerated when Nrf2 is constitutively activated, affecting ATP production and FADH2 utilization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Blaess ◽  
Lars Kaiser ◽  
Oliver Sommerfeld ◽  
René Csuk ◽  
Hans-Peter Deigner

AbstractRash, photosensitivity, erythema multiforme, and the acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) are relatively uncommon adverse reactions of drugs. To date, the etiology is not well understood and individual susceptibility still remains unknown. Amiodarone, chlorpromazine, amitriptyline, and trimipramine are classified lysosomotropic as well as photosensitizing, however, they fail to trigger rash and pruritic papules in all individuals. Lysosomotropism is a common charcteristic of various drugs, but independent of individuals. There is evidence that the individual ability to respond to external oxidative stress is crosslinked with the elongation of long-chain fatty acids to very long-chain fatty acids by ELOVLs. ELOVL6 and ELOVL7 are sensitive to ROS induced depletion of cellular NADPH and insufficient regeneration via the pentose phosphate pathway and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. Deficiency of NADPH in presence of lysosomotropic drugs promotes the synthesis of C16-ceramide in lysosomes and may contribute to emerging pruritic papules of AGEP. However, independently from a lysosomomotropic drug, severe depletion of ATP and NAD(P)H, e.g., by UV radiation or a potent photosensitizer can trigger likewise the collapse of the lysosomal transmembrane proton gradient resulting in lysosomal C16-ceramide synthesis and pruritic papules. This kind of papules are equally present in polymorphous light eruption (PMLE/PLE) and acne aestivalis (Mallorca acne). The suggested model of a compartmentalized ceramide metabolism provides a more sophisticated explanation of cutaneous drug adverse effects and the individual sensitivity to UV radiation. Parameters such as pKa and ClogP of the triggering drug, cutaneous fatty acid profile, and ceramide profile enables new concepts in risk assessment and scoring of AGEP as well as prophylaxis outcome.


1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina G Costa ◽  
Lambertus Dorland ◽  
Ulbe Holwerda ◽  
Isabel Tavares de Almeida ◽  
Bwee-Tien Poll-The ◽  
...  

Abstract We present a new derivatization procedure for the simultaneous gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis of free fatty acids and 3-hydroxyfatty acids in plasma. Derivatization of target compounds involved trifluoroacetylation of hydroxyl groups and tert-butyldimethylsilylation of the carboxyl groups. This new derivatization procedure had the advantage of allowing the complete baseline separation of free fatty acids and 3-hydroxyfatty acids while the superior gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric properties of tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives remained unchanged, permitting a sensitive analysis of the target compounds. Thirty-nine plasma samples from control subjects and patients with known defects of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation were analyzed. A characteristic increase of long-chain 3-hydroxyfatty acids was observed for all of the long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase-deficient and mitochondrial trifunctional protein-deficient plasma samples. For medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency and very-long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, decenoic and tetradecenoic acids, respectively, were the main abnormal fatty acids, whereas the multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase-deficient patients showed variable increases of these unusual intermediates. The results showed that this selective and sensitive method is a powerful tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation disorders.


1964 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 955-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Evans

Cellular transport of long chain nonesterified fatty acids involves transfer of fatty acids between extracellular binding sites on albumin and tissue binding sites on cell membranes and organelles. Tissue phospholipids and lower glycerides do not serve as primary acceptors for fatty acid entering the cell. Evidence for an energy-dependent transport process is lacking; however, alterations in active cellular metabolism which influence utilization of fatty acids may indirectly affect transport by changing the rate of clearance of fatty acids from tissue binding sites. Release of nonesterified fatty acids from adipose tissue, and uptake by heart muscle and other tissues are influenced by fatty acid concentration and the molar ratio of fatty acid to albumin in extracellular fluid, and probably as well by the capacity and turnover rate of binding sites for fatty acid within the cells. The relationship between transport and molecular structure of fatty acids may be attributed to differences in solubility, protein binding, and rate of intracellular utilization of fatty acids of different chain length and degree of unsaturation. Removal of circulating triglyceride appears to be influenced by lipoprotein lipase activity of peripheral tissues but may be limited by the capacity of the tissue to accept the component fatty acids.


1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (2) ◽  
pp. E247-E252 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. O. Ajie ◽  
M. J. Connor ◽  
W. N. Lee ◽  
S. Bassilian ◽  
E. A. Bergner ◽  
...  

To determine the contributions of preexisting fatty acid, de novo synthesis, and chain elongation in long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) synthesis, the synthesis of LCFAs, palmitate (16:0), stearate (18:0), arachidate (20:0), behenate (22:0), and lignocerate (24:0), in the epidermis, liver, and spinal cord was determined using deuterated water and mass isotopomer distribution analysis in hairless mice and Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were given 4% deuterated water for 5 days or 8 wk in their drinking water. Blood was withdrawn at the end of these times for the determination of deuterium enrichment, and the animals were killed to isolate the various tissues for lipid extraction for the determination of the mass isotopomer distributions. The mass isotopomer distributions in LCFA were incompatible with synthesis from a single pool of primer. The synthesis of palmitate, stearate, arachidate, behenate, and lignocerate followed the expected biochemical pathways for the synthesis of LCFAs. On average, three deuterium atoms were incorporated for every addition of an acetyl unit. The isotopomer distribution resulting from chain elongation and de novo synthesis can be described by the linear combination of two binomial distributions. The proportions of preexisting, chain elongation, and de novo-synthesized fatty acids as a percentage of the total fatty acids were determined using multiple linear regression analysis. Fractional synthesis was found to vary, depending on the tissue type and the fatty acid, from 47 to 87%. A substantial fraction (24-40%) of the newly synthesized molecules was derived from chain elongation of unlabeled (recycled) palmitate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 682-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kayla Dillard ◽  
Morgan Coffin ◽  
Gabriella Hernandez ◽  
Victoria Smith ◽  
Catherine Johnson ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the major cause of pediatric chronic liver pathology in the United States. The objective of this study was to compare the relative effect of inclusion of isocaloric amounts of saturated medium-chain fatty acids (hydrogenated coconut oil), saturated long-chain fatty acids (lard) and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids (olive oil) on endpoints of NAFLD and insulin resistance. Methods Thirty-eight 15-d-old Iberian pigs were fed 1 of 4 diets containing (g/kg body weight × d) 1) control (CON; n = 8): 0 g fructose, 10.5 g fat, and 187 kcal metabolizable energy (ME), 2) lard (LAR; n = 10): 21.6 g fructose, 17.1 g fat (100% lard) and 299 kcal ME, 3) hydrogenated coconut oil (COCO; n = 10): 21.6 g fructose, 16.9 g fat (42.5% lard and 57.5% coconut oil) and 299 kcal ME, and 4) olive oil (OLV, n = 10): 21.6 g fructose, 17.1 g fat (43.5% lard and 56.5% olive oil) and 299 kcal ME, for 9 consecutive weeks. Body weight was recorded every 3 d. Serum markers of liver injury and dyslipidemia were measured on d 60 at 2 h post feeding, with all other serum measures assessed on d 70. Liver tissue was collected on d 70 for histology, triacylglyceride (TG) quantification, and metabolomics analysis. Results Tissue histology indicated the presence of steatosis in LAR, COCO and OLV compared with CON (P ≤ 0.001), with a further increase in in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in OLV and COCO compared with LAR (P ≤ 0.01). Alanine and aspartate aminotransferases were higher in COCO and OLV (P ≤ 0.01) than CON. All treatment groups had lower liver concentrations of methyl donor's choline and betaine versus CON, while bile acids were differentially changed (P ≤ 0.05). COCO had higher levels of TGs with less carbons (Total carbons < 52) than all other groups (P ≤ 0.05). Several long-chain acylcarnitines involved in fat oxidation were higher in OLV versus all other groups (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Inclusion of fats enriched in medium-chain saturated and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids in a high-fructose high-fat diet increased liver injury, compared with fats with a long-chain saturated fatty acid profile. Further research is required to investigate the mechanisms causing this difference in physiological response to these dietary fat sources. Funding Sources ARI, AcornSeekers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando R. Fernandez ◽  
Mircea C. Iftinca ◽  
Gerald W. Zamponi ◽  
Ray W. Turner

AbstractT-type calcium channels are important regulators of neuronal excitability. The mammalian brain expresses three T-type channel isoforms (Cav3.1, Cav3.2 and Cav3.3) with distinct biophysical properties that are critically regulated by temperature. Here, we test the effects of how temperature affects spike output in a reduced firing neuron model expressing specific Cav3 channel isoforms. The modeling data revealed only a minimal effect on baseline spontaneous firing near rest, but a dramatic increase in rebound burst discharge frequency for Cav3.1 compared to Cav3.2 or Cav3.3 due to differences in window current or activation/recovery time constants. The reduced response by Cav3.2 could optimize its activity where it is expressed in peripheral tissues more subject to temperature variations than Cav3.1 or Cav3.3 channels expressed prominently in the brain. These tests thus reveal that aspects of neuronal firing behavior are critically dependent on both temperature and T-type calcium channel subtype.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i19-i19
Author(s):  
Divya Ravi ◽  
Carmen del Genio ◽  
Haider Ghiasuddin ◽  
Arti Gaur

Abstract Glioblastomas (GBM) or Stage IV gliomas, are the most aggressive of primary brain tumors and are associated with high mortality and morbidity. Patients diagnosed with this lethal cancer have a dismal survival rate of 14 months and a 5-year survival rate of 5.6% despite a multimodal therapeutic approach, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Aberrant lipid metabolism, particularly abnormally active de novo fatty acid synthesis, is recognized to have a key role in tumor progression and chemoresistance in cancers. Previous studies have reported a high expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) in patient tumors, leading to multiple investigations of FASN inhibition as a treatment strategy. However, none of these have developed as efficacious therapies. Furthermore, when we profiled FASN expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) we determined that high FASN expression in GBM patients did not confer a worse prognosis (HR: 1.06; p-value: 0.51) and was not overexpressed in GBM tumors compared to normal brain. Therefore, we need to reexamine the role of exogenous fatty acid uptake over de novofatty acid synthesis as a potential mechanism for tumor progression. Our study aims to measure and compare fatty acid oxidation (FAO) of endogenous and exogenous fatty acids between GBM patients and healthy controls. Using TCGA, we have identified the overexpression of multiple enzymes involved in mediating the transfer and activation of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in GBM tumors compared to normal brain tissue. We are currently conducting metabolic flux studies to (1) assess the biokinetics of LCFA degradation and (2) establish exogenous versus endogenous LCFA preferences between patient-derived primary GBM cells and healthy glial and immune cells during steady state and glucose-deprivation.


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