Adipose triglyceride lipase deletion from adipocytes, but not skeletal myocytes, impairs acute exercise performance in mice

Dynamic metabolism of endothelial triglycerides protects against atherosclerosis in mice

Blood vessels are continually exposed to circulating lipids, and elevation of ApoB-containing lipoproteins causes atherosclerosis. Lipoprotein metabolism is highly regulated by lipolysis, largely at the level of the capillary endothelium lining metabolically active tissues. How large blood vessels, the site of atherosclerotic vascular disease, regulate the flux of fatty acids (FAs) into triglyceride-rich (TG-rich) lipid droplets (LDs) is not known. In this study, we showed that deletion of the enzyme adipose TG lipase (ATGL) in the endothelium led to neutral lipid accumulation in vessels and impaired endothelial-dependent vascular tone and nitric oxide synthesis to promote endothelial dysfunction. Mechanistically, the loss of ATGL led to endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced inflammation in the endothelium. Consistent with this mechanism, deletion of endothelial ATGL markedly increased lesion size in a model of atherosclerosis. Together, these data demonstrate that the dynamics of FA flux through LD affects endothelial cell homeostasis and consequently large vessel function during normal physiology and in a chronic disease state.

Cooperative lipolytic control of neuronal triacylglycerol by spastic paraplegia-associated enzyme DDHD2 and ATGL

Intracellular lipolysis-the enzymatic breakdown of lipid droplet-associated triacylglycerol (TAG)-depends on the cooperative action of several hydrolytic enzymes and regulatory proteins, together designated as lipolysome. Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) acts as a major cellular TAG hydrolase and core effector of the lipolysome in many peripheral tissues. Neurons initiate lipolysis independently of ATGL via DDHD domain-containing 2 (DDHD2), a multifunctional lipid hydrolase whose dysfunction causes neuronal TAG deposition and hereditary spastic paraplegia. Whether and how DDHD2 cooperates with other lipolytic enzymes is currently unknown. In this study, we further investigated the enzymatic properties and functions of DDHD2 in neuroblastoma cells and primary neurons. We found that DDHD2 hydrolyzes multiple acylglycerols in vitro and substantially contributes to neutral lipid hydrolase activities of neuroblastoma cells and brain tissue. Substrate promiscuity of DDHD2 allowed its engagement at different steps of the lipolytic cascade: In neuroblastoma cells, DDHD2 functioned exclusively downstream of ATGL in the hydrolysis of sn-1,3-diacylglycerol (DAG) isomers but was dispensable for TAG hydrolysis and lipid droplet homeostasis. In primary cortical neurons, DDHD2 exhibited lipolytic control over both, DAG and TAG, and complemented ATGL-dependent TAG hydrolysis. We conclude that neuronal cells use noncanonical configurations of the lipolysome and engage DDHD2 as dual TAG/DAG hydrolase in cooperation with ATGL.

Exercise metabolism and adaptation in skeletal muscle

Viewing metabolism through the lens of exercise biology has proven an accessible and practical strategy to gain new insights into local and systemic metabolic regulation. Recent methodological developments have advanced understanding of the central role of skeletal muscle in many exercise-associated health benefits and have uncovered the molecular underpinnings driving adaptive responses to training regimens. In this Review, we provide a contemporary view of the metabolic flexibility and functional plasticity of skeletal muscle in response to exercise. First, we provide background on the macrostructure and ultrastructure of skeletal muscle fibres, highlighting the current understanding of sarcomeric networks and mitochondrial subpopulations. Next, we discuss acute exercise skeletal muscle metabolism and the signalling, transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of adaptations to exercise training. We address knowledge gaps throughout and propose future directions for the field. This Review contextualizes recent research of skeletal muscle exercise metabolism, framing further advances and translation into practice.

PRMT5 links lipid metabolism to contractile function of skeletal muscles

Skeletal muscle plays a key role in systemic energy homeostasis besides its contractile function, but what links these functions is poorly defined. Protein Arginine Methyl Transferase 5 (PRMT5) is a well-known oncoprotein but also expressed in healthy tissues with unclear physiological functions. As adult muscles express high levels of Prmt5, we generated skeletal muscle-specific Prmt5 knockout (Prmt5MKO ) mice. We observe reduced muscle mass, oxidative capacity, force production, and exercise performance in Prmt5MKO mice. The motor deficiency is associated with scarce lipid droplets in myofibers due to defects in lipid biosynthesis and accelerated degradation. Specifically, PRMT5 deletion reduces dimethylation and stability of Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Transcription Factor 1a (SREBP1a), a master regulator of de novo lipogenesis. Moreover, Prmt5MKO impairs the repressive H4R3 symmetric dimethylation at the Pnpla2 promoter, elevating the level of its encoded protein ATGL, the rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing lipolysis. Accordingly, skeletal muscle-specific double knockout of Pnpla2 and Prmt5 normalizes muscle mass and function. Together, our findings delineate a physiological function of PRMT5 in linking lipid metabolism to contractile function of myofibers.

Mitochondrial β-oxidation of adipose-derived fatty acids by osteoblasts fuels parathyroid hormone-induced bone formation

The energetic costs of bone formation require osteoblasts to coordinate their activities with tissues, like adipose, that can supply energy-dense macronutrients. In the case of intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment, a strategy used to reduce fracture risk, bone formation is preceded by a change in systemic lipid homeostasis. To investigate the requirement for fatty acid oxidation by osteoblasts during PTH-induced bone formation, we subjected mice with osteoblast-specific deficiency of mitochondrial long-chain β-oxidation as well as mice with adipocyte-specific deficiency for the PTH receptor or adipose triglyceride lipase to an anabolic treatment regimen. PTH increased the release of fatty acids from adipocytes and β-oxidation by osteoblasts, while the genetic mouse models were resistant to the hormone's anabolic effect. Collectively, these data suggest that PTH's anabolic actions require coordinated signaling between bone and adipose, wherein a lipolytic response liberates fatty acids that are oxidized by osteoblasts to fuel bone formation.

Activation of Transcription Factor EB Is Associated With Adipose Tissue Lipolysis in Dairy Cows With Subclinical Ketosis

Excessive lipid mobilization for adipose tissue caused by severe negative energy balance is the pathological basis for subclinical ketosis (SCK) in dairy cows. In non-ruminants, transcription factor EB (TFEB) was reported to play a role in the regulation of lipid catabolism, but its role in the control of lipolysis in the bovine is unknown. The present study aimed to determine whether the enhanced TFEB transcriptional activity contributes to lipolysis of adipose tissue in SCK cows, and to explore the possibility of establishing a therapeutic strategy by using TFEB as a target to control lipolysis. Thirty cows with similar lactation number (median = 3, range = 2–4) and days in milk (median = 6 d, range = 3–9) were selected into a healthy control (n = 15) and SCK (n = 15) group, and used for subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies and blood sampling. Adipocytes from healthy Holstein calves were used as a model for in vitro studies involving treatment with 10 μM isoproterenol (ISO) for 0, 1, 2 and 3 h, 250 nM of the TFEB activator Torin1 for 3 h, or used for transfection with TFEB small interfering RNA for 48 h followed by treatment with 10 μM ISO for 3 h. Compared with healthy cows, adipose tissue in SCK cows showed increased lipolysis accompanied by enhanced TFEB transcriptional activity. In vitro, ISO and Torin1 treatment increased lipolysis and enhanced TFEB transcriptional activity in calf adipocytes. However, knockdown of TFEB attenuated ISO-induced lipolysis in adipocytes. Overall, these findings indicated that enhanced transcriptional activity of TFEB may contribute to lipolysis of adipose tissue in dairy cows with SCK. The regulation of TFEB activity may be an effective therapeutic strategy for controlling overt lipolysis in ketotic cows.

Adipose Lipolysis Regulates Cardiac Glucose Uptake and Function in Mice under Cold Stress

The heart primarily uses fatty acids as energy substrates. Adipose lipolysis is a major source of fatty acids, particularly under stress conditions. In this study, we showed that mice with selective inactivation of the lipolytic coactivator comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) in adipose tissue (FAT-KO mice), relative to their littermate controls, had lower circulating FA levels in the fed and fasted states due to impaired adipose lipolysis. They preferentially utilized carbohydrates as energy fuels and were more insulin sensitive and glucose tolerant. Under cold stress, FAT-KO versus control mice had >10-fold increases in glucose uptake in the hearts but no increases in other tissues examined. Plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide and cardiac mRNAs for atrial and brain-type natriuretic peptides, two sensitive markers of cardiac remodeling, were also elevated. After one week of cold exposure, FAT-KO mice showed reduced cardiac expression of several mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation proteins. After one month of cold exposure, hearts of these animals showed depressed functions, reduced SERCA2 protein, and increased proteins for MHC-β, collagen I proteins, Glut1, Glut4 and phospho-AMPK. Thus, CGI-58-dependent adipose lipolysis critically regulates cardiac metabolism and function, especially during cold adaptation. The adipose-heart axis may be targeted for the management of cardiac dysfunction.

Fat-body brummer lipase determines survival and cardiac function during starvation in Drosophila melanogaster

The cross talk between adipose tissue and the heart has an increasing importance for cardiac function under physiological and pathological conditions. This study characterizes the role of fat body lipolysis for cardiac function in Drosophila melanogaster. Perturbation of the function of the key lipolytic enzyme, brummer (bmm), an ortholog of the mammalian ATGL (adipose triglyceride lipase) exclusively in the fly's fat body, protected the heart against starvation-induced dysfunction. We further provide evidence that this protection is caused by the preservation of glycerolipid stores, resulting in a starvation-resistant maintenance of energy supply and adequate cardiac ATP synthesis. Finally, we suggest that alterations of lipolysis are tightly coupled to lipogenic processes, participating in the preservation of lipid energy substrates during starvation. Thus, we identified the inhibition of adipose tissue lipolysis and subsequent energy preservation as a protective mechanism against cardiac dysfunction during catabolic stress.

•

A cross talk between fat body and the heart regulates cardiac function in Drosophila

•

Knockdown of fat-body brummer lipase prevents starvation-induced cardiac dysfunction

•

This involves preservation of lipid stores and maintenance of cardiac energy supply

•

Brummer-mediated preservation of fat body lipid stores involves lipolysis and lipogenesis

ATGL activity regulates GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake and lactate production via TXNIP stability in adipocytes

Traditionally, lipolysis has been regarded as an enzymatic activity that liberates fatty acids as metabolic fuel. However, recent work has shown that novel substrates, including a variety of lipid compounds such as fatty acids and their derivatives, release lipolysis products that act as signaling molecules and transcriptional modulators. While these studies have expanded the role of lipolysis, the mechanisms underpinning lipolysis signaling are not fully defined. Here, we uncover a new mechanism regulating glucose uptake, whereby activation of lipolysis, in response to elevated cAMP, leads to the stimulation of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) degradation. This, in turn, selectively induces glucose transporter 1 surface localization and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and increases lactate production. Interestingly, cAMP-induced glucose uptake via degradation of TXNIP is largely dependent upon adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and not hormone-sensitive lipase or monoacylglycerol lipase. Pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of ATGL alone prevents cAMP-dependent TXNIP degradation and thus significantly decreases glucose uptake and lactate secretion. Conversely, overexpression of ATGL amplifies the cAMP response, yielding increased glucose uptake and lactate production. Similarly, knockdown of TXNIP elicits enhanced basal glucose uptake and lactate secretion, and increased cAMP further amplifies this phenotype. Overexpression of TXNIP reduces basal and cAMP-stimulated glucose uptake and lactate secretion. As a proof of concept, we replicated these findings in human primary adipocytes and observed TXNIP degradation and increased glucose uptake and lactate secretion upon elevated cAMP signaling. Taken together, our results suggest a crosstalk between ATGL-mediated lipolysis and glucose uptake.

Muscle Lipid Droplets: Cellular Signaling to Exercise Physiology and Beyond

Conventionally viewed as energy storage depots, lipid droplets (LDs) play a central role in muscle lipid metabolism and intracellular signaling, as recognized by recent advances in our biological understanding. Specific subpopulations of muscle LDs, defined by location and associated proteins, are responsible for distinct biological functions. In this review, the traditional view of muscle LDs is examined, and the emerging role of LDs in intracellular signaling is highlighted. The effects of chronic and acute exercise on muscle LD metabolism and signaling is discussed. In conclusion, future directions for muscle LD research are identified. The primary focus will be on human studies, with inclusion of select animal/cellular/non-muscle studies as appropriate, to provide the underlying mechanisms driving the observed findings.

Adipocyte lipolysis: from molecular mechanisms of regulation to disease and therapeutics

Fatty acids (FAs) are stored safely in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) in lipid droplet (LD) organelles by professional storage cells called adipocytes. These lipids are mobilized during adipocyte lipolysis, the fundamental process of hydrolyzing TAG to FAs for internal or systemic energy use. Our understanding of adipocyte lipolysis has greatly increased over the past 50 years from a basic enzymatic process to a dynamic regulatory one, involving the assembly and disassembly of protein complexes on the surface of LDs. These dynamic interactions are regulated by hormonal signals such as catecholamines and insulin which have opposing effects on lipolysis. Upon stimulation, patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 2 (PNPLA2)/adipocyte triglyceride lipase (ATGL), the rate limiting enzyme for TAG hydrolysis, is activated by the interaction with its co-activator, alpha/beta hydrolase domain-containing protein 5 (ABHD5), which is normally bound to perilipin 1 (PLIN1). Recently identified negative regulators of lipolysis include G0/G1 switch gene 2 (G0S2) and PNPLA3 which interact with PNPLA2 and ABHD5, respectively. This review focuses on the dynamic protein-protein interactions involved in lipolysis and discusses some of the emerging concepts in the control of lipolysis that include allosteric regulation and protein turnover. Furthermore, recent research demonstrates that many of the proteins involved in adipocyte lipolysis are multifunctional enzymes and that lipolysis can mediate homeostatic metabolic signals at both the cellular and whole-body level to promote inter-organ communication. Finally, adipocyte lipolysis is involved in various diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, and targeting adipocyte lipolysis is of therapeutic interest.

Dynamic changes in DICER levels in adipose tissue control metabolic adaptations to exercise

DICER is a key enzyme in microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. Here we show that aerobic exercise training up-regulates DICER in adipose tissue of mice and humans. This can be mimicked by infusion of serum from exercised mice into sedentary mice and depends on AMPK-mediated signaling in both muscle and adipocytes. Adipocyte DICER is required for whole-body metabolic adaptations to aerobic exercise training, in part, by allowing controlled substrate utilization in adipose tissue, which, in turn, supports skeletal muscle function. Exercise training increases overall miRNA expression in adipose tissue, and up-regulation of miR-203-3p limits glycolysis in adipose under conditions of metabolic stress. We propose that exercise training-induced DICER-miR-203-3p up-regulation in adipocytes is a key adaptive response that coordinates signals from working muscle to promote whole-body metabolic adaptations.

The Role of Adipose Triglyceride Lipase and Cytosolic Lipolysis in Cardiac Function and Heart Failure

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. New therapeutic concepts are urgently required to lower the burden of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), the two major forms of heart failure. Lipolytic processes are induced during the development of heart failure and occur in adipose tissue and multiple organs, including the heart. Increasing evidence suggests that cellular lipolysis, in particular, adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) activity, has an important function in cardiac (patho)physiology. This review summarizes the crucial role of cellular lipolysis for normal cardiac function and for the development of HFrEF and HFpEF. We discuss the most relevant pre-clinical studies and elaborate on the cardiac consequences of non-myocardial and myocardial lipolysis modulation. Finally, we critically analyze the therapeutic importance of pharmacological ATGL inhibition as a potential treatment option for HFrEF and/or HFpEF in the future.

Impact of skeletal muscle IL-6 on subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue metabolism immediately after high- and moderate-intensity exercises

White adipose tissue is a major energy reserve for the body and is essential for providing fatty acids for other tissues when needed. Skeletal muscle interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been shown to be secreted from the working muscle and has been suggested to signal to adipose tissue and enhance lipolysis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of skeletal muscle IL-6 in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) lipolysis and glyceroneogenesis with prolonged moderate-intensity exercise and high-intensity exercise in mice. Female inducible muscle-specific IL-6 knockout (IL-6 iMKO) mice and littermate control (Floxed) mice performed a single exercise bout for either 120 min at 16 m/min and 10° slope (moderate intensity) or 30 min at 20 m/min and 10° slope (high intensity), or they remained rested (rest). Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues, quadriceps muscles, and blood were quickly obtained. Plasma IL-6 increased in Floxed mice but not in IL-6 iMKO mice with high-intensity exercise. VAT signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3^Tyr705 phosphorylation was lower, and VAT hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL)^Ser563 phosphorylation was higher in IL-6 iMKO mice than in Floxed mice at rest. Furthermore, HSL^Ser563 and HSL^Ser660 phosphorylation increased in VAT and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase protein decreased in SAT with moderate-intensity exercise in both genotypes. On the other hand, both exercise protocols increased pyruvate dehydrogenase^Ser232 phosphorylation in VAT only in IL-6 iMKO mice and decreased tumor necrosis factor-α messenger RNA in SAT and VAT only in Floxed mice. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that skeletal muscle IL-6 regulates markers of lipolysis in VAT in the basal state and pyruvate availability for glyceroneogenesis in VAT with exercise. Moreover, skeletal muscle IL-6 may contribute to exercise-induced anti-inflammatory effects in SAT and VAT.

The role of adipose triglyceride lipase in lipid and glucose homeostasis: lessons from transgenic mice

The ability of mammals to store and draw on fat reserves has been a driving force throughout evolution in an environment with intermittent nutrient availability. The discovery of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) as a triglyceride lipase provided a heightened understanding of the mechanisms governing mobilization of fat reserves from adipose tissue. ATGL catalyses the initial step in adipose triglyceride lipolysis, working in concert with other enzymes to mobilize triglyceride for energy production. In addition to the role of ATGL in adipose tissue triglyceride mobilization, ATGL plays crucial roles in regulating lipid homeostasis in other tissues. These roles have been characterized primarily using transgenic mice with tissue-specific ATGL ablation. For example, the global ATGL knockout induces a severe cardiac defect that results in premature mortality that is mimicked by inducible cardiomyocyte-specific ATGL knockout. Global- and adipose-specific ATGL ablation induces a whole-body shift from lipid metabolism to glucose metabolism to satisfy metabolic demand primarily facilitated by an increase in glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. Generation of liver-specific ATGL knockouts has implicated hepatic lipolysis as a critical component of normal liver function. Analysis of β-cell ATGL knockouts implicates the necessity of pancreatic ATGL in insulin secretion. The objective of this review is to discuss the contributions of ATGL to systemic lipid- and glucose-homeostasis discovered through the study of transgenic mice.

Adipose tissue protects against sepsis-induced muscle weakness in mice: from lipolysis to ketones

Background

ICU-acquired weakness is a debilitating consequence of prolonged critical illness that is associated with poor outcome. Recently, premorbid obesity has been shown to protect against such illness-induced muscle wasting and weakness. Here, we hypothesized that this protection was due to increased lipid and ketone availability.

Methods

In a centrally catheterized, fluid-resuscitated, antibiotic-treated mouse model of prolonged sepsis, we compared markers of lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation in lean and obese septic mice (n = 117). Next, we compared markers of muscle wasting and weakness in septic obese wild-type and adipose tissue-specific ATGL knockout (AAKO) mice (n = 73), in lean septic mice receiving either intravenous infusion of lipids or standard parenteral nutrition (PN) (n = 70), and in lean septic mice receiving standard PN supplemented with either the ketone body 3-hydroxybutyrate or isocaloric glucose (n = 49).

Results

Obese septic mice had more pronounced lipolysis (p ≤ 0.05), peripheral fatty acid oxidation (p ≤ 0.05), and ketogenesis (p ≤ 0.05) than lean mice. Blocking lipolysis in obese septic mice caused severely reduced muscle mass (32% loss vs. 15% in wild-type, p < 0.001) and specific maximal muscle force (59% loss vs. 0% in wild-type; p < 0.001). In contrast, intravenous infusion of lipids in lean septic mice maintained specific maximal muscle force up to healthy control levels (p = 0.6), whereas this was reduced with 28% in septic mice receiving standard PN (p = 0.006). Muscle mass was evenly reduced with 29% in both lean septic groups (p < 0.001). Lipid administration enhanced fatty acid oxidation (p ≤ 0.05) and ketogenesis (p < 0.001), but caused unfavorable liver steatosis (p = 0.01) and a deranged lipid profile (p ≤ 0.01). Supplementation of standard PN with 3-hydroxybutyrate also attenuated specific maximal muscle force up to healthy control levels (p = 0.1), but loss of muscle mass could not be prevented (25% loss in both septic groups; p < 0.001). Importantly, this intervention improved muscle regeneration markers (p ≤ 0.05) without the unfavorable side effects seen with lipid infusion.

Conclusions

Obesity-induced muscle protection during sepsis is partly mediated by elevated mobilization and metabolism of endogenous fatty acids. Furthermore, increased availability of ketone bodies, either through ketogenesis or through parenteral infusion, appears to protect against sepsis-induced muscle weakness also in the lean.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13054-019-2506-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Molecular adaptations in human subcutaneous adipose tissue after ten weeks of endurance exercise training in healthy males

Endurance exercise training induces adaptations in metabolically active organs, but adaptations in human subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) remains incompletely understood. On the basis of animal studies, we hypothesized that endurance exercise training would increase the expression of proteins involved in lipolysis and glucose uptake in scAT. To test these hypotheses, 19 young and healthy males were randomized to either endurance exercise training (TR; age 18-24 yr; BMI 19.0-25.4 kg/m²) or a nonexercising control group (CON; age 21-35 yr; BMI 20.5-28.8 kg/m²). Abdominal subcutaneous fat biopsies and blood were obtained at rest before and after intervention. By using Western blotting and PCR, we determined expression of lipid droplet-associated proteins, various proteins involved in substrate metabolism, and mRNA abundance of cell surface G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Adipose tissue insulin sensitivity was determined from fasting plasma insulin and nonesterified fatty acids (adipose tissue insulin resistance index; Adipo-IR). Adipo-IR improved in TR compared with CON ( P = 0.03). This was accompanied by increased insulin receptor (IR) protein expression in scAT with a 1.54-fold (SD 0.79) change from baseline in TR vs. 0.85 (SD 0.30) in CON ( P = 0.007). Additionally, hexokinase II (HKII) and succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A (SDHA) protein increased in TR compared with CON ( P = 0.006 and P = 0.04, respectively). We did not observe changes in lipid droplet-associated proteins or mRNA abundance of GPCRs. Collectively, 10 weeks of endurance exercise training improved adipose tissue insulin sensitivity, which was accompanied by increased IR, HKII, and SDHA protein expression in scAT. We suggest that these adaptations contribute to an improved metabolic flexibility. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to investigate the molecular adaptations in human subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) after endurance exercise training compared with a nonexercising control group. We show that endurance exercise training improves insulin sensitivity in human scAT, and this is accompanied by increased expression of insulin receptor, hexokinase II, and succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A. Collectively, our data suggest that endurance exercise training induces molecular adaptations in human scAT, which may contribute to an improved metabolic flexibility.

An 8-Week Ketogenic Diet Alternated Interleukin-6, Ketolytic and Lipolytic Gene Expression, and Enhanced Exercise Capacity in Mice

Adjusting dietary fat intake is reported to affect mitochondrial biogenesis and fatty acid oxidation (FAO), and thus may enhance exercise capacity. However, a high-fat diet where carbohydrate intake is not limited enough also makes it difficult for athletes to maintain weight, and may fail to force the body to utilize fat. As such, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, ketogenic diet (KD) may be viable. We have previously reported that an eight-week KD enhances exercise capacity, and suggested the mechanism to be enhanced lipolysis and ketolysis. In the present study, we investigated how an eight-week KD alters mRNA expression during fatty acid mobilization, FAO and ketolysis. We found that an eight-week KD may remodel the lipid metabolism profile, thus contributing to influence exercise capacity. We also found that ketolysis, lipolysis and FAO adaptations may contribute to enhanced exhaustive exercise performance. Along with enhanced FAO capacity during exhaustive exercise, a KD may also alter IL-6 synthesis and secretion profile, thus contribute to fatty acid mobilization, ketolysis, lipolysis and preventing muscle damage. Both the lipid metabolism response and IL-6 secretion appeared to be muscle fiber specific. Taken together, the previous and present results reveal that an eight-week KD may enhance exercise performance by up-regulating ketolysis and FAO ability. Therefore, a KD may have the potential to prevent muscle damage by altering IL-6 secretion profile, indicating that a KD may be a promising dietary approach in endurance athletes, sports, and for injury prevention.

Of mice and men: The physiological role of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL)

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) has been discovered 14 years ago and revised our view on intracellular triglyceride (TG) mobilization – a process termed lipolysis. ATGL initiates the hydrolysis of TGs to release fatty acids (FAs) that are crucial energy substrates, precursors for the synthesis of membrane lipids, and ligands of nuclear receptors. Thus, ATGL is a key enzyme in whole-body energy homeostasis. In this review, we give an update on how ATGL is regulated on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level and how this affects the enzymes' activity in the context of neutral lipid catabolism. In depth, we highlight and discuss the numerous physiological functions of ATGL in lipid and energy metabolism. Over more than a decade, different genetic mouse models lacking or overexpressing ATGL in a cell- or tissue-specific manner have been generated and characterized. Moreover, pharmacological studies became available due to the development of a specific murine ATGL inhibitor (Atglistatin®). The identification of patients with mutations in the human gene encoding ATGL and their disease spectrum has underpinned the importance of ATGL in humans. Together, mouse models and human data have advanced our understanding of the physiological role of ATGL in lipid and energy metabolism in adipose and non-adipose tissues, and of the pathophysiological consequences of ATGL dysfunction in mice and men.

•

Summary of mouse models with genetic or pharmacological manipulation of ATGL.

•

Summary of patients with mutations in the human gene encoding ATGL.

•

In depth discussion of the role of ATGL in numerous physiological processes in mice and men.

Adipose KLF15 Controls Lipid Handling to Adapt to Nutrient Availability

Adipose tissue stores energy in the form of triglycerides. The ability to regulate triglyceride synthesis and breakdown based on nutrient status (e.g., fed versus fasted) is critical for physiological homeostasis and dysregulation of this process can contribute to metabolic disease. Whereas much is known about hormonal control of this cycle, transcriptional regulation is not well understood. Here, we show that the transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) is critical for the control of adipocyte lipid turnover. Mice lacking Klf15 in adipose tissue (AK15KO) display decreased adiposity and are protected from diet-induced obesity. Mechanistic studies suggest that adipose KLF15 regulates key genes of triglyceride synthesis and inhibits lipolytic action, thereby promoting lipid storage in an insulin-dependent manner. Finally, AK15KO mice demonstrate accelerated lipolysis and altered systemic energetics (e.g., locomotion, ketogenesis) during fasting conditions. Our study identifies adipose KLF15 as an essential regulator of adipocyte lipid metabolism and systemic energy balance.

Atglistatin ameliorates functional decline in heart failure via adipocyte-specific inhibition of adipose triglyceride lipase

Despite advancements in therapies for cardiovascular disease and heart failure (HF), the incidence and prevalence of HF are increasing. Previous work has suggested that inhibiting adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) in adipose tissue during HF development may assist in the treatment of HF. The ability to specifically target the adipocyte as a potential treatment for HF is a novel approach that could significantly influence the management of HF in the future. Our objectives were to assess the cardiac structural and functional effects of pharmacological inhibition of ATGL in mice with HF, to assess whether ATGL inhibition works in an adipocyte-autonomous manner, and to determine the role that adiposity and glucose homeostasis play in this HF treatment approach. Using a known ATGL inhibitor, atglistatin, as well as mice with germline deletion of adipocyte-specific ATGL, we tested the effectiveness of ATGL inhibition in mice with pressure overload-induced HF. Here, we show that atglistatin can prevent the functional decline in HF and provide evidence that specifically targeting ATGL in the adipocyte is sufficient to prevent worsening of HF. We further demonstrate that the benefit resulting from atglistatin in HF is not dependent on previously suggested improvements in glucose homeostasis, nor are the benefits derived from increased adiposity. Overall, the results of this study suggest that adipocyte-specific pharmacological inhibition of ATGL may represent a novel therapeutic option for HF. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This work shows for the first time that the adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL)-specific inhibitor atglistatin can prevent worsening heart failure. Furthermore, using mice with adipocyte-specific ATGL ablation, this study demonstrates that ATGL inhibition works in an adipocyte-autonomous manner to ameliorate a functional decline in heart failure. Overall, this work demonstrates that specifically targeting the adipocyte to inhibit ATGL is a potential treatment for heart failure.

Hormone-sensitive lipase preferentially redistributes to lipid droplets associated with perilipin-5 in human skeletal muscle during moderate-intensity exercise

KEY POINTS

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) are the key enzymes involved in intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) lipolysis. In isolated rat skeletal muscle, HSL translocates to IMTG-containing lipid droplets (LDs) following electrical stimulation, but whether HSL translocation occurs in human skeletal muscle during moderate-intensity exercise is currently unknown. Perilipin-2 (PLIN2) and perilipin-5 (PLIN5) proteins have been implicated in regulating IMTG lipolysis by interacting with HSL and ATGL in cell culture and rat skeletal muscle studies. This study investigated the hypothesis that HSL (but not ATGL) redistributes to LDs during moderate-intensity exercise in human skeletal muscle, and whether the localisation of these lipases with LDs was affected by the presence of PLIN proteins on the LDs. HSL preferentially redistributed to PLIN5-associated LDs whereas ATGL distribution was not altered with exercise; this is the first study to illustrate the pivotal step of HSL redistribution to PLIN5-associated LDs following moderate-intensity exercise in human skeletal muscle.

ABSTRACT

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) control skeletal muscle lipolysis. ATGL is present on the surface of lipid droplets (LDs) containing intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) in both the basal state and during exercise. HSL translocates to LD in ex vivo electrically stimulated rat skeletal muscle. Perilipin-2- and perilipin-5-associated lipid droplets (PLIN2+ and PLIN5+ LDs) are preferentially depleted during exercise in humans, indicating that these PLINs may control muscle lipolysis. We aimed to test the hypothesis that in human skeletal muscle in vivo HSL (but not ATGL) is redistributed to PLIN2+ and PLIN5+ LDs during moderate-intensity exercise. Muscle biopsies from 8 lean trained males (age 21 ± 1 years, BMI 22.6 ± 1.2 kg m^-2 and V̇O2 peak 48.2 ± 5.0 ml min^-1  kg^-1 ) were obtained before and immediately following 60 min of cycling exercise at ∼59% V̇O2 peak . Cryosections were stained using antibodies targeting ATGL, HSL, PLIN2 and PLIN5. LDs were stained using BODIPY 493/503. Images were obtained using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and object-based colocalisation analyses were performed. Following exercise, HSL colocalisation to LDs increased (P < 0.05), and was significantly greater to PLIN5+ LDs (+53%) than to PLIN5- LDs (+34%) (P < 0.05), while the increases in HSL colocalisation to PLIN2+ LDs (+16%) and PLIN2- LDs (+28%) were not significantly different. Following exercise, the fraction of LDs colocalised with ATGL (0.53 ± 0.04) did not significantly change (P < 0.05) and was not affected by PLIN association to the LDs. This study presents the first evidence of exercise-induced HSL redistribution to LDs in human skeletal muscle and identifies PLIN5 as a facilitator of this mechanism.

Subcutaneous inguinal white adipose tissue is responsive to, but dispensable for, the metabolic health benefits of exercise

Exercise training has robust effects on subcutaneous inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT), characterized by a shift to a brown adipose tissue (BAT)-like phenotype. Consistent with this, transplantation of exercise-trained iWAT into sedentary rodents activates thermogenesis and improves glucose homeostasis, suggesting that iWAT metabolism may contribute to the beneficial effects of exercise. However, it is yet to be determined if adaptations in iWAT are necessary for the beneficial systemic effects of exercise. To test this, male C57BL/6 mice were provided access to voluntary wheel running (VWR) or remained as a cage control (SED) for 11 nights after iWAT removal via lipectomy (LIPX) or SHAM surgery. We found that SHAM and LIPX mice with access to VWR ran similar distances and had comparable reductions in body mass, increased food intake, and increased respiratory exchange ratio (RER). Further, VWR improved indexes of glucose homeostasis and insulin tolerance in both SHAM and LIPX mice. The lack of effect of LIPX in the response to VWR was not explained by compensatory increases in markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and thermogenesis in skeletal muscle, epididymal white adipose tissue, or interscapular brown adipose tissue. Together, these data demonstrate that mice with and without iWAT have comparable adaptations to VWR, suggesting that iWAT may be dispensable for the metabolic health benefits of exercise.

Triglyceride metabolism in exercising muscle

Triglycerides are stored within lipid droplets in skeletal muscle and can be hydrolyzed to produce fatty acids for energy production through β-oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation. While there was some controversy regarding the quantitative importance of intramyocellular triglyceride (IMTG) as a metabolic substrate, recent advances in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and confocal microscopy support earlier tracer and biopsy studies demonstrating a substantial contribution of IMTG to energy production, particularly during moderate-intensity endurance exercise. This review provides an update on the understanding of IMTG utilization during exercise, with a focus on describing the key regulatory proteins that control IMTG breakdown and how these proteins respond to acute exercise and in the adaptation to exercise training. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Recent Advances in Lipid Droplet Biology edited by Rosalind Coleman and Matthijs Hesselink.

Metabolic Flexibility in Health and Disease

Metabolic flexibility is the ability to respond or adapt to conditional changes in metabolic demand. This broad concept has been propagated to explain insulin resistance and mechanisms governing fuel selection between glucose and fatty acids, highlighting the metabolic inflexibility of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In parallel, contemporary exercise physiology research has helped to identify potential mechanisms underlying altered fuel metabolism in obesity and diabetes. Advances in "omics" technologies have further stimulated additional basic and clinical-translational research to further interrogate mechanisms for improved metabolic flexibility in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue with the goal of preventing and treating metabolic disease.

Intramyocellular fat storage in metabolic diseases

Over the past decades, obesity and its metabolic co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) developed to reach an endemic scale. However, the mechanisms leading to the development of T2D are still poorly understood. One main predictor for T2D seems to be lipid accumulation in "non-adipose" tissues, best known as ectopic lipid storage. A growing body of data suggests that these lipids may play a role in impairing insulin action in metabolic tissues, such as liver and skeletal muscle. This review aims to discuss recent literature linking ectopic lipid storage and insulin resistance, with emphasis on lipid deposition in skeletal muscle. The link between skeletal muscle lipid content and insulin sensitivity, as well as the mechanisms of lipid-induced insulin resistance and potential therapeutic strategies to alleviate lipotoxic lipid pressure in skeletal muscle will be discussed.

SF-1 expression in the hypothalamus is required for beneficial metabolic effects of exercise

Exercise has numerous beneficial metabolic effects. The central nervous system (CNS) is critical for regulating energy balance and coordinating whole body metabolism. However, a role for the CNS in the regulation of metabolism in the context of the exercise remains less clear. Here, using genetically engineered mice we assessed the requirement of steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) expression in neurons of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) in mediating the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism. We found that VMH-specific deletion of SF-1 blunts (a) the reductions in fat mass, (b) improvements in glycemia, and (c) increases in energy expenditure that are associated with exercise training. Unexpectedly, we found that SF-1 deletion in the VMH attenuates metabolic responses of skeletal muscle to exercise, including induction of PGC-1α expression. Collectively, this evidence suggests that SF-1 expression in VMH neurons is required for the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism.

SF-1 expression in the hypothalamus is required for beneficial metabolic effects of exercise

Exercise has numerous beneficial metabolic effects. The central nervous system (CNS) is critical for regulating energy balance and coordinating whole body metabolism. However, a role for the CNS in the regulation of metabolism in the context of the exercise remains less clear. Here, using genetically engineered mice we assessed the requirement of steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) expression in neurons of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) in mediating the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism. We found that VMH-specific deletion of SF-1 blunts (a) the reductions in fat mass, (b) improvements in glycemia, and (c) increases in energy expenditure that are associated with exercise training. Unexpectedly, we found that SF-1 deletion in the VMH attenuates metabolic responses of skeletal muscle to exercise, including induction of PGC-1α expression. Collectively, this evidence suggests that SF-1 expression in VMH neurons is required for the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism.

PPARα-ATGL pathway improves muscle mitochondrial metabolism: implication in aging

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) maintains an optimum mitochondrial function putatively by generating cognate ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), which, together with PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC1α), regulate muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. However, the cross-talk between ATGL and PPARα in skeletal muscle mitochondrial metabolism and its implication in chronological aging is poorly understood. The role of ATGL in muscle mitochondrial metabolism was studied by overexpressing and depleting the gene and studying its downstream effect in cultured myotubes and in murine skeletal muscle. We found that PPARα directly induces ATGL expression during myogenesis. Overexpression of ATGL significantly enhanced while depletion of ATGL attenuated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation without alteration in mitochondrial content, and it rendered PPARα and PGC1α redundant in promoting mitochondrial oxidative function. However, ATGL did not alter PPARα-dependent lipid accumulation and insulin sensitivity. In middle-aged rats, ATGL expression was higher and correlated with PPARα expression and sustained fatty acid oxidation in oxidative soleus muscle. Fenofibrate feeding further induced ATGL expression selectively in this muscle compartment. These findings illustrate that PPARα and ATGL constitute a regulatory pathway in skeletal muscle, suggesting their role as a mitochondrial metabolic reserve.-Biswas, D., Ghosh, M., Kumar, S., Chakrabarti, P. PPARα-ATGL pathway improves muscle mitochondrial metabolism: implication in aging.