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

Angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL) family members, mainly ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8, are physiological inhibitors of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and play a critical role in lipoprotein and triglyceride metabolism in response to nutritional cues. ANGPTL8 has been described by different names in various studies and has been ascribed various functions at the systemic and cellular levels. Circulating

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are fundamental building materials for cells and play crucial function as signaling molecules. When PUFA are used as substrates for non-enzymatic or enzymatic reactions and gut microbiota metabolism, they can generate electrophilic derivatives (called Reactive Lipid Species, RLS) that promptly form adducts with nucleophilic molecules. RLS participate in several signaling

Fish are the main source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA, >C18) for human consumption. In general, it has been widely observed that the fatty acid (FA) profiles of farmed fish are reflective of the diet. However, the degree of tissue FA “distortion” based on incorporation of different dietary FA into fish tissues varies greatly depending on FA type, fish species and environmental

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase Cs (PLCs) are expressed in all mammalian cells and play critical roles in signal transduction. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of these enzymes in physiology and pathology, a detailed structural, biochemical, cell biological and genetic information is required. In this review, we cover all these aspects to summarize current knowledge of the entire superfamily

All living beings have an optimal temperature for growth and survival. With the advancement of global warming, the search for understanding adaptive processes to climate changes has gained prominence. In this context, all living beings monitor the external temperature and develop adaptive responses to thermal variations. These responses ultimately change the functioning of the cell and affect the most

Over the past decade, the study of metabolic abnormalities in cancer cells has risen dramatically. Cancer cells can thrive in challenging environments, be it the hypoxic and nutrient-deplete tumor microenvironment or a distant tissue following metastasis. The ways in which cancer cells utilize lipids are often influenced by the complex interactions within the tumor microenvironment and adjacent stroma

Introducing statins as possible widely-available drugs for the treatment of viral infections requires an in depth review of their antiviral properties. Despite some inconsistency, a large body of literature data from experimental and clinical studies suggest that statins may have a role in the treatment of viral infections due to their immunomodulatory properties as well as their ability to inhibit

The discovery of branched fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs) in humans draw attention of many researches to their biological effects. Although FAHFAs were originally discovered in insects and plants, their introduction into the mammalian realm opened new horizons in bioactive lipid research. Hundreds of isomers from different families have been identified so far and their role in (patho)

Plant lipids have versatile applications and provide essential fatty acids in human diet. Therefore, there has been a growing interest to better characterize the genetic basis, regulatory networks, and metabolic pathways that shape lipid quantity and composition. Addressing these issues is challenging due to context-specificity of lipid metabolism integrating environmental, developmental, and tissue-specific

A growing number of studies describe a connection between glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and glutamine metabolism, glucose metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells. Since deregulated cell energy metabolism is one of cancer cells hallmarks, investigating this connection is an important step in the development of anti-cancer therapies. GSL species are often aberrantly regulated in human cancers

Mental memory system has sensory memory, short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory. Working memory “keeps things in mind in parallel” when performing complex tasks. Similar aspects can be found for immunological memory. However, there exists another one, the memory of the fatty acid system. This article shows sensory memory of the fatty acid system, which is the perception apparatus of

Very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5-n3) are nutritionally important for humans and animals. De novo biosynthesis of these fatty acids mainly occurs in microorganisms and goes through either an aerobic pathway catalyzed by type I/II fatty acid synthase, desaturases and

Thioesterases are present in all living cells and perform a wide range of important biological functions by catalysing the cleavage of thioester bonds present in a diverse array of cellular substrates. Thioesterases are organised into 25 families based on their sequence conservation, tertiary and quaternary structure, active site configuration, and substrate specificity. Recent structural and functional

The incidence of obesity and its associated diseases including diabetes and various cardiovascular disease continues to escalate. Since the energy homeostasis executes a substantial role in fat-rich food intake and body weight regulation, it grows into a prevalent subject of interest for its strong energy density and high palatability. Over the decade, the notion that the dietary fatty acids convey

Maresin-1, a pro-resolving lipid mediator, is drawing a great deal of attention in receptor pharmacology, largely because two distinct types of receptor molecules have been reported as the targets of maresin-1. One is retinoic acid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) and the other is leucine-rich repeat domain-containing G protein-coupled receptor 6 (LGR6). RORα is a nuclear receptor and LGR6 is a plasma

Squalene monooxygenase (SM) is a vital sterol synthesis enzyme across eukaryotic life. In yeast, it is a therapeutic target for treating certain fungal infections, and in mammals it is a rate-limiting enzyme that represents a key control point in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. SM introduces an oxygen atom to squalene, which becomes the signature oxygen of the hydroxyl group in cholesterol. Our

Intracellular lipid droplets are utilized for lipid storage and metabolism in organisms as evolutionarily diverse as animals, fungi, plants, bacteria, and archaea. These lipid droplets demonstrate great diversity in biological functions and protein and lipid compositions, yet fundamentally share common molecular and ultrastructural characteristics. Lipid droplet research has been largely fragmented

Recent advances in the field of taste physiology have clarified the role of different basic taste modalities and their implications in health and disease and proposed emphatically that there might be a distinct cue for oro-sensory detection of dietary long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). Hence, fat taste can be categorized as a taste modality. During mastication, LCFAs activate tongue lipid sensors like

For many diseases, there is an unmet need for new or better biomarkers for improved disease risk assessment and monitoring, as available markers lack sufficient specificity. Lipids are drawing major interest as potential candidates for filling these gaps. This has recently been demonstrated by the identification of selective ceramides for prediction of cardiovascular mortality, enabling improved risk

Glycolipid transfer proteins (GLTPs) were first identified over three decades ago as ~24kDa, soluble, amphitropic proteins that specifically accelerate the intermembrane transfer of glycolipids. Upon discovery that GLTPs use a unique, all-α-helical, two-layer ‘sandwich’ architecture (GLTP-fold) to bind glycosphingolipids (GSLs), a new protein superfamily was born. Structure/function studies have provided

Coenzyme A (CoA) is the predominant acyl carrier in mammalian cells and a cofactor that plays a key role in energy and lipid metabolism. CoA and its thioesters (acyl-CoAs) regulate a multitude of metabolic processes at different levels: as substrates, allosteric modulators, and via post-translational modification of histones and other non-histone proteins. Evidence is emerging that synthesis and degradation

Obesity is featured by chronic systemic low-grade inflammation that eventually contributes to the development of insulin resistance. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is an important mediator that triggers the innate immune response by activating inflammatory signaling cascades. Human, animal and cell culture studies identified saturated fatty acids (SFAs), the dominant non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) in

Cannabis extracts like marijuana have the highest consumption rate worldwide. Yet, their societal acceptance as recreational and therapeutic drugs could represent a serious hazard to female human reproduction, because cannabis ingredients [termed (phyto)cannabinoids] can perturb an endogenous system of lipid signals known as endocannabinoids. Accumulated evidence on animal models and humans has demonstrated

Despite being discovered over 60 years ago, the precise role of phospholipase D (PLD) is still being elucidated. PLD enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of the phosphodiester bond of glycerophospholipids producing phosphatidic acid and the free headgroup. PLD family members are found in organisms ranging from viruses, and bacteria to plants, and mammals. They display a range of substrate specificities

The fatty acid profile of cells in culture are unlike those of natural cells with twice the monounsaturated (MUFA) and half the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) level (Mol%). This is not due to cell lines primarily being derived from cancers but is due to limited access to lipid and an inability to make PUFA de novo as vertebrate cells. Classic culture methods use media with 10% serum (the only exogenous

Sphingoid bases encompass a group of long chain amino alcohols which form the essential structure of sphingolipids. Over the last years, these amphiphilic molecules were moving more and more into the focus of biomedical research due to their role as bioactive molecules. In fact, free sphingoid bases interact with specific receptors and target molecules and have been associated with numerous biological

Ceramides, the principal building blocks of all sphingolipids, have attracted the attention of many scientists around the world interested in developing treatments for cystic fibrosis, the most common genetic disease of Caucasians. Many years of fruitful research in this field have produced some fundamentally important, yet controversial results. Here, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge on

Endothelial dysfunction is a pro-inflammatory state characterized by chronic activation of the endothelium, which leads to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Intake of trans fatty acids (TFAs) is associated with an increased risk of CVD. This risk is usually associated with industrial TFAs (iTFAs) rather than ruminant TFAs (rTFAs); however it is not clear how specific TFA isomers differ

Galectin-3 (Gal3) is a multifaceted protein which belongs to a family of lectins and binds β-galactosides. Gal3 expression is altered in many types of cancer, with increased expression generally associated with poor prognosis. Although the mechanisms remain unknown, Gal3 has been implicated in several biological processes involved in cancer progression, including suppression of T cell-mediated immune

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the numerous families of lipid mediators derived from them collectively regulate numerous biological processes. The mechanisms by which n-3 PUFA regulate biological processes begins with an understanding of the n-3 biosynthetic pathway that starts with alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) and is commonly thought to end with the production of docosahexaenoic acid

The increased adipose tissue mass of obese individuals enhances the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. During pathological expansion of adipose tissue, multiple molecular controls of lipid storage, adipocyte turn-over and endocrine secretion are perturbed and abnormal lipid metabolism results in a distinct lipid profile. There is a role for ceramides and sphingosine

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) is an important enzyme linking carbohydrate to lipid metabolism by generating acetyl-CoA from citrate for fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis. Mendelian randomization of large human cohorts has validated ACLY as a promising target for low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering and cardiovascular protection. Among current ACLY inhibitors, Bempedoic acid (ETC-1002)

Thraustochytrids are unicellular heterotrophic marine protists of the Stramenopile group, often considered as non-photosynthetic microalgae. They have been isolated from a wide range of habitats including deep sea, but are mostly present in waters rich in sediments and organic materials. They are abundant in mangrove forests where they are major colonizers, feeding on decaying leaves and initiating

The lipid composition of biological membranes is key for cell viability. Nevertheless, and despite their central role in cell function, our understanding of membrane physiology continues to lag behind most other aspects of cell biology. The maintenance of membrane properties in situations of environmental stress requires homeostatic sense-and-response mechanisms. For example, the balance between esterified

Plasmalogens are a class of membrane glycerophospholipids with unique properties. They contain a vinyl-ether linked alkyl chain at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone and, typically, a polyunsaturated fatty acyl chain at the sn-2 position. Plasmalogens are critical for human health and have established roles in neuronal development, the immune response and as endogenous antioxidants. However

Most current knowledge about plant lipid metabolism has focused on the biosynthesis of lipids and their transport between different organelles. However, lipid composition changes during development and in response to environmental cues often go beyond adjustments of lipid biosynthesis. When lipids have to be removed to adjust the extent of membranes during down regulation of photosynthesis, or lipid

Drug resistance is one major reason for failure of cancer therapy. In the past 10 years, evidence emerged showing that ceramides of specific chain length, generated by six different ceramide synthases (CerS), are deregulated in different cancer types thereby influencing chemosensitivity. In this review we sum up the cellular mechanisms regulated by CerS and the respective ceramides of specific chain

Environmental stresses cause membrane damage in terrestrial plants. Studies on the lipids obtained from these plants are required to understand their adaptation to climate change. Recently, a number of plant leaf lipidomic studies converged on the topic of chloroplastic glycerolipid remodeling and triacylglycerol production. In this review, we show that among various abiotic stresses, plant leaves

Lipid droplets (LDs) are multi-functional cellular organelles that store energy, and regulate many aspects of cell physiology. However, our understanding of the biogenesis of LDs remains very limited. Originating from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), LDs are highly unique organelles in that each LD is bounded by a monolayer of amphipathic lipids. Recent progress has unveiled critical roles of non-bilayer

Sphingoid bases encompass a group of long chain amino alcohols which form the essential structure of sphingolipids. Over the last years, these amphiphilic molecules were moving more and more into the focus of biomedical research due to their role as bioactive molecules. In fact, free sphingoid bases interact with specific receptors and target molecules, and have been associated with numerous biological

Most current knowledge about plant lipid metabolism has focused on the biosynthesis of lipids and their transport between different organelles. However, lipid composition changes during development and in response to environmental cues often go beyond adjustments of lipid biosynthesis. When lipids have to be removed to adjust the extent of membranes during down regulation of photosynthesis, or lipid

Plasmalogens are a class of membrane glycerophospholipids with unique properties. They contain a vinyl-ether linked alkyl chain at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone and, typically, a polyunsaturated fatty acyl chain at the sn-2 position. Plasmalogens are critical for human health and have established roles in neuronal development, the immune response and as endogenous antioxidants. However

Drug resistance is one major reason for failure of cancer therapy. In the past 10 years, evidence emerged showing that ceramides of specific chain length, generated by six different ceramide synthases (CerS), are deregulated in different cancer types thereby influencing chemosensitivity. In this review we sum up the cellular mechanisms regulated by CerS and the respective ceramides of specific chain

The increased adipose tissue mass of obese individuals enhances the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. During pathological expansion of adipose tissue, multiple molecular controls of lipid storage, adipocyte turn-over and endocrine secretion are perturbed and abnormal lipid metabolism results in a distinct lipid profile. There is a role for ceramides and sphingosine

Ceramides, the principal building blocks of all sphingolipids, have attracted the attention of many scientists around the world interested in developing treatments for cystic fibrosis, the most common genetic disease of Caucasians. Many years of fruitful research in this field have produced some fundamentally important, yet controversial results. Here, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge on

Dietary plant sterols and stanols as present in our diet and in functional foods are well-known for their inhibitory effects on intestinal cholesterol absorption, which translates into lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. However, emerging evidence suggests that plant sterols and stanols have numerous additional health effects, which are largely unnoticed in the current scientific