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Choline Deficiency Alters Lipid Droplet Composition and Size
Author(s) -
Brown Elizabeth,
Townsend Elizabeth,
Hains Anastasia,
Listenberger Laura
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.657.2
Subject(s) - phospholipid , phosphatidylethanolamine , phosphatidylcholine , lipid droplet , choline , perilipin , chemistry , organelle , biochemistry , biophysics , biology , lipolysis , membrane , adipose tissue
Excess lipid is stored in organelles known as lipid droplets. The surface of a lipid droplet is a phospholipid monolayer composed primarily of two phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Specific proteins decorate the surface of each lipid droplet and regulate its activity. We aimed to determine whether the phospholipid composition of the lipid droplet surface influences the number and type of lipid droplet proteins. We cultured NIH 3T3 cells in choline deficient media and measured a decrease in the PC:PE ratio in lipid droplet fractions. While total levels of lipid droplet proteins were not changed, choline deficient media altered the lipid droplet binding of a subset of proteins. For example, cells grown in choline deficient media had 1.4 and 1.6‐fold more perilipin 2 and 3 fractionating with lipid droplets. Moreover, cells grown in choline deficient media accumulated larger and more numerous lipid droplets following oleate supplementation than cells grown with choline. Our studies link lipid droplet phospholipid composition and protein binding to cellular lipid homeostasis. Support or Funding Information This research was funded by St. Olaf College CURI, the Mindlin Foundation, and an ASBMB undergraduate research award (to EB).