The last decades revealed that the adipose tissue shows an unexplored therapeutic potential. In particular, targeting the perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT), that surrounds blood vessels, can prevent cardiovascular pathologies and browning of the adipose tissue can become an effective strategy against obesity. Therefore, new analytical tools are necessary to analyze this tissue. This review reports

The inflammatory response is a complex regulated effector mechanism of the innate immune system that is initiated after tissue injury or infection. The NLRP3 inflammasome is an important initiator of inflammation by regulating the activation of caspase-1, the maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the induction of pyroptotic cell death. Numerous studies demonstrate that the NLRP3 inflammasome

Acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT, EC 2.3.1.20) catalyzes the last reaction in the acyl-CoA-dependent biosynthesis of triacylglycerol (TAG). DGAT activity resides mainly in membrane-bound DGAT1 and DGAT2 in eukaryotes and bifunctional wax ester synthase-diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WSD) in bacteria, which are all membrane-bound proteins but exhibit no sequence homology to each other

Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are important components of various lipid classes in most organisms, from bacteria to higher plants and mammals, including humans. VLCFAs, or very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs), can be defined as fatty acids with 23 or more carbon atoms in the molecule. The main emphasis in this review is on the analysis of these acids, including obtaining standards

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are key proteins in lipid transport, and the isoforms are segregated according to their tissue origins. Several isoforms, such as adipose-FABP and epidermal-FABP, have been shown to participate in multiple pathologic processes due to their ubiquitous expression. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein, also termed FABP2 or I-FABP, is specifically expressed in the small

The plasma membrane is one of the principal structural components of the cell and, therefore, one of the key components of the cellular life. Because the membrane's dynamics links the membrane's structure and function, the complexity and the broad range of the membrane's motions are essential for the enormously diverse functionality of the cell membrane. Even for the main membrane component, the lipid

Large ‘omics studies are of particular interest to population and clinical research as they allow elucidation of biological pathways that are often out of reach of other methodologies. Typically, these information rich datasets are produced from multiple coordinated profiling studies that may include lipidomics, metabolomics, proteomics or other strategies to generate high dimensional data. In lipidomics

Complex lipids, phospholipids (PLs) and triacylglycerides (TAGs), are prone to modifications induced by reactive nitrated species and reactive oxygen species, generating a range of nitrated, nitrosated or nitroxidized derivatives, as nitro PLs and nitro TAGs. These modified lipids (epilipids) have been reported in vitro and in vivo using lipidomics approaches. However, their detection in living systems

The role of cholesterol in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other coronavirus-host cell interactions is currently being discussed in the context of two main scenarios: i) the presence of the neutral lipid in cholesterol-rich lipid domains involved in different steps of the viral infection and ii) the alteration of metabolic pathways by the virus over the course of infection

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are structural components of membrane phospholipids, and influence cellular function via effects on membrane properties, and also by acting as a precursor pool for lipid mediators. These lipid mediators are formed via activation of pathways involving at least one step of dioxygen-dependent oxidation, and are consequently called oxylipins. Their biosynthesis can be

Intestinal cholesterol absorption varies widely between individuals, which may translate into differences in responsiveness to cholesterol-lowering drugs or diets. Therefore, understanding the importance of genetic variation on cholesterol absorption rates and the complex intestinal cholesterol network is important. Based on a systematic review, genetic variants in seven genes (ABCG5, ABCG8, ABO, APOE

The ‘standard’ fluid-mosaic membrane model can provide a framework for the operation of the photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport systems, the generation of the proton motive force (pmf) and its utilization for ATP synthesis according to the chemiosmotic theory. However, this model, with the bilayer organization of all lipid molecules, assigns no function to non-bilayer lipids – while in

Cognitive processes, particularly learning and memory, are crucial brain mechanisms mediating the successful adaptation of individuals to constantly changing environmental conditions. Impairments in memory performance during neurodegenerative disorders or dementias affect life quality of patients as well as their relatives and careers, and thus have a severe socio-economic impact. The last decades

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are essential fatty acids for the growth, development and survival of virtually all organisms. There is increasing evidence that anthropogenic climate change has a direct and indirect impact on the availability of natural n-3 LC-PUFA. However, this information is fragmented and not well organized. Therefore, this article reviewed published

The lipid composition of cellular membranes can impact a number of physiological processes such as signaling, cell migration, endocytosis and intracellular transport. In this article we focus on some aspects concerning analysis of lipids and research on lipid structure and function in mammalian cells that in our opinion have not obtained sufficient attention. This includes interleaflet coupling between

The mammary gland undergoes a spectacular series of changes during its development and maintains a remarkable capacity to remodel and regenerate during progression through the lactation cycle. This flexibility of the mammary gland requires coordination of multiple processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, regeneration, stress response, immune activity, and metabolic changes under the

Cell membranes are the initial site of stimulus perception from environment and phospholipids are the basic and important components of cell membranes. Phospholipases hydrolyze membrane lipids to generate various cellular mediators. These phospholipase-derived products, such as diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, inositol phosphates, lysophopsholipids, and free fatty acids, act as second messengers

Marine ecosystems are rich in “omega-3” long-chain (C20-24) polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). Their production has been historically accepted to derive mostly from marine microbes. This long-standing dogma has been challenged recently by the discovery that numerous invertebrates, mostly with an aquatic life-style, have the enzyme machinery necessary for the de novo biosynthesis of polyunsaturated

Lipids participate in diverse biological functions including signal transduction, cellular membrane biogenesis and carbon storage. Following de novo biosynthesis in the plastids, fatty acids (FAs) are transported as acyl-CoA esters to the endoplasmic reticulum where glycerol-3-phosphate undergoes a series of acyl-CoA-dependent acylation via the Kennedy pathway to form triacylglycerols for subsequent

Oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) and OSBP-related proteins (ORPs) constitute one of the largest families of lipid-binding/transfer proteins (LTPs) in eukaryotes. The current view is that many of them mediate inter-organelle lipid transfer over membrane contact sites (MCS). The transfer occurs in several cases in a ‘counter-current’ fashion: A lipid such as cholesterol or phosphatidylserine (PS) is

Matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) is an indispensable tool in modern lipid research since it is fast, sensitive, tolerates sample impurities and provides spectra without major analyte fragmentation. We will discuss some methodological aspects, the related ion-forming processes and the MALDI MS characteristics of the different lipid classes (with the focus

This review examines lipids and lipid-binding sites on proteins in relation to cardiovascular disease. Lipid nutrition involves food energy from ingested fatty acids plus fatty acids formed from excess ingested carbohydrate and protein. Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and lipoproteins have many detailed attributes not evident in their names. Recognizing attributes of lipid-protein interactions decreases

Dietary habits have drastically changed over the last decades in Western societies. The Western diet, rich in saturated fatty acids (SFA), trans fatty acids (TFA), omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFA) and cholesterol, is accepted as an important factor in the development of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes type 2. Alongside these diseases, nutrition is associated with the

Given the central role of fatty acids in cancer pathophysiology, the exploitation of fatty acid metabolism as a potential antineoplastic therapy has gained much attention. Several natural and synthetic compounds targeting fatty acid metabolism were hitherto identified, and their effectiveness against cancer cell proliferation and survival was determined. This review will discuss the most clinically

In mammals, triglyceride (TG), the main form of lipids for storing and providing energy, is stored in white adipose tissue (WAT) after food intake, while during fasting it is routed to oxidative tissues (heart and skeletal muscle) for energy production, a process referred to as TG partitioning. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL), a rate-limiting enzyme in this fundamental physiological process, hydrolyzes circulating

Protein myristoylation is a C14 fatty acid modification found in all living organisms. Myristoylation tags either the N-terminal alpha groups of cysteine or glycine residues through amide bonds or lysine and cysteine side chains directly or indirectly via glycerol thioester and ester linkages. Before transfer to proteins, myristate must be activated into myristoyl coenzyme A in eukaryotes or, in bacteria

Monounsaturated fatty acids are straight-chain aliphatic monocarboxylic acids comprising a unique carbon‑carbon double bond, also termed unsaturation. More than 50 distinct molecular structures have been described in the plant kingdom, and more remain to be discovered. The evolution of land plants has apparently resulted in the convergent evolution of non-homologous enzymes catalyzing the dehydrogenation

Lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous organelles that play crucial roles in response to physiological and environmental cues. The identification of several neutral lipid synthesizing and regulatory protein complexes have propelled significant advance on the mechanisms of LD biogenesis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Increasing evidence suggests that distinct proteins and regulatory factors, which

During the last decade, major scientific advances on understanding the mechanisms of lipid digestion and metabolism have been made, with a view to addressing health issues (such as obesity) associated with overconsumption of lipid-rich and sucrose-rich foods. As lipids in common foods exist in the form of emulsions, the structuring of emulsions has been one the main strategies for controlling the rate

The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, or statins, are administered as first line therapy for hypercholesterolemia, both in primary and secondary prevention. There is a growing body of evidence showing that beyond their lipid-lowering effect, statins have a number of additional beneficial properties. Pitavastatin is a unique lipophilic statin with a strong effect

Plant carotenoids are essential for photosynthesis and photoprotection and provide colors in the yellow to red range to non-photosynthetic organs such as petals and ripe fruits. They are also the precursors of biologically active molecules not only in plants (including hormones and retrograde signals) but also in animals (including retinoids such as vitamin A). A carotenoid-rich diet has been associated

PARPs and tankyrases (TNKS) represent a family of 17 proteins. PARPs and tankyrases were originally identified as DNA repair factors, nevertheless, recent advances have shed light on their role in lipid metabolism. To date, PARP1, PARP2, PARP3, tankyrases, PARP9, PARP10, PARP14 were reported to have multi-pronged connections to lipid metabolism. The activity of PARP enzymes is fine-tuned by a set of

The dysregulation of fat metabolism is involved in various disorders, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and cancers. The uptake of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) with 14 or more carbons plays a pivotal role in cellular metabolic homeostasis. Therefore, the uptake and metabolism of LCFAs must constantly be in tune with the cellular, metabolic, and structural requirements of cells. Many metabolic

Lipids on the plasma membrane are not only components of the membrane biophysical structures but also regulators of receptor functions. Recently, the critical roles of lipid-protein interactions have been intensively highlighted. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most extensively studied receptors exhibiting various lipid interactions, including interactions with phosphatidylcholine

Knowing the spatial location of the lipid species present in biological samples is of paramount importance for the elucidation of pathological and physiological processes. In this context, mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has emerged as a powerful technology allowing the visualization of the spatial distributions of biomolecules, including lipids, in complex biological samples. Among the different ionization

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and their metabolites are considered essential factors to support bone and joint health. The n-6 PUFAs suppress the osteoblasts differentiation via increasing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) expression and promoting adipogenesis while n-3 PUFAs promote osteoblastogenesis by down-regulating PPARγ and enhancing osteoblastic activity

Various human tissues and cells express phospholipase A1 member A (PLA1A), including the liver, lung, prostate gland, and immune cells. The enzyme belongs to the pancreatic lipase family. PLA1A specifically hydrolyzes sn-1 fatty acid of phosphatidylserine (PS) or 1-acyl-lysophosphatidylserine (1-acyl-lysoPS). PS externalized by activated cells or apoptotic cells or extracellular vesicles is a potential

Plasmalogens are a group of lipids mainly found in the cell membranes. They occur in anaerobic bacteria and in some protozoa, invertebrates and vertebrates, including humans. Their occurrence in plants and fungi is controversial. They can protect cells from damage by reactive oxygen species, protect other phospholipids or lipoprotein particles against oxidative stress, and have been implicated as signaling

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a quickly emerging global health problem representing the most common chronic liver disease in the world. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease represents the leading cause of mortality in NAFLD patients. Cholesterol metabolism has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of both NAFLD and atherosclerosis. The liver is the major organ for cholesterol metabolism

Pine nut oil (PNO) is rich in a variety of unusual delta-5-non-methylene-interrupted fatty acids (NMIFAs), including pinolenic acid (PLA; all cis-5,-9,-12 18:3) which typically comprises 14 to 19% of total fatty acids. PLA has been shown to be metabolised to eicosatrienoic acid (ETA; all cis-7,-11,-14 20:3) in various cells and tissues. Here we review the literature on PNO, PLA and its metabolite ETA

Despite encouraging progresses achieved in the management of viral diseases, efficient strategies to counteract infections are still required. The current global challenge highlighted the need to develop a rapid and cost-effective strategy to counteract the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Lipid metabolism plays a crucial role in viral infections. Viruses can use the host lipid machinery to support their life

Significant advances have been made in our understanding of the hormone, leptin and its CNS actions in recent years. It is now evident that leptin has a multitude of brain functions, that extend beyond its established role in the hypothalamic control of energy balance. Additional brain regions including the hippocampus are important targets for leptin, with a high density of leptin receptors (LepRs)

Omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA, C20-24), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), are involved in numerous biological processes and have a range of health benefits. Fish have long been considered as the main source of n-3 LC-PUFA in human diets. However, the capacity for endogenous biosynthesis of LC-PUFA from C18 PUFA varies

Bile acids are a large family of atypical steroids which exert their functions by binding to a family of ubiquitous cell membrane and nuclear receptors. There are two main bile acid activated receptors, FXR and GPBAR1, that are exclusively activated by bile acids, while other receptors CAR, LXRs, PXR, RORγT, S1PR2and VDR are activated by bile acids in addition to other more selective endogenous ligands

Phospholipid biosynthesis is crucial for plant growth and development. It involves attachment of fatty acids to a phospho-diacylglycerol backbone and modification of the phospho-group into an amino alcohol. The biochemistry and molecular biology of the former has been well established, but a number of enzymes responsible for the latter have only recently been cloned and functionally characterized in

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected over a hundred million people globally. There have been more than two million deaths recorded worldwide, with no end in sight until a widespread vaccination will be achieved. Current research has centred on different aspects of the virus interaction with cell surface receptors, but more

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) was initially characterized as the hormonally regulated neutral lipase activity responsible for the breakdown of triacylglycerols into fatty acids in adipose tissue. This review aims at providing up-to-date information on structural properties, regulation of expression, activity and function as well as therapeutic potential. The lipase is expressed as different isoforms

The lipid bilayer is a functional component of cells, forming a stable platform for the initiation of key biological processes, including cell signalling. There are distinct changes in the lipid composition of cell membranes during oncogenic transformation resulting in aberrant activation and inactivation of signalling transduction pathways. Studying the role of the cell membrane in cell signalling

There is an increasing demand for astaxanthin in food, feed, cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications because of its superior anti-oxidative and coloring properties. However, naturally produced astaxanthin is expensive, mainly due to low productivity and limited sources. Reprogramming of microorganisms for astaxanthin production via metabolic engineering is a promising strategy. We primarily focus

During development, the human fetus accrues the highest proportion of fat of all mammals. Precursors of fat lobules can be found at week 14 of pregnancy. Thereafter, they expand, filling with triacylglycerols during pregnancy. The resultant mature lipid-filled adipocytes emerge from a developmental programme of embryonic stem cells, which is regulated differently than adult adipogenesis. Fetal triacylglycerol

A number of membrane lipid-derived mediators play pivotal roles in the initiation, maintenance, and regulation of various types of acute and chronic pain. Acute pain, comprising nociceptive and inflammatory pain warns us about the presence of damage or harmful stimuli. However, it can be efficiently reversed by opioid analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Prostaglandin E2 and I2, the representative

In plants, hypoxia (low-oxygen stress) is induced by soil waterlogging or submergence and this major abiotic stress has detrimental effects on plant growth, development, distribution, and productivity. To survive low-oxygen stress, plants have evolved a set of morphological, physiological, and biochemical adaptations. These adaptations integrate metabolic acclimation and signaling networks allowing

Nutrients, hormones and the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) tightly regulate the intracellular levels of the metabolic intermediary malonyl-CoA, which is a precursor of fatty acid synthesis and a negative regulator of fatty acid oxidation. In the brain, the involvement of malonyl-CoA in the control of food intake and energy homeostasis has been known for decades. However, recent data

Neutral lipids in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) have emerged as critical regulators of cellular energy balance, lipid homeostasis, growth, development and stress response in organisms ranging from plants to yeast. Although TAGs are mostly recognized as the main storage component in cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs), TAG-rich LDs with similar structural and functional characteristics to those found

Lipids are abundant and play essential roles in human health and disease. The main functions of lipids are building blocks for membrane biogenesis. However, lipids are also metabolized to produce signaling molecules. Here, we discuss the emerging roles of circulating lysophospholipids. These lysophospholipids consist of lysoglycerophospholipids and lysosphingolipids. They are both present in cells