title: Induction of the peroxisomal glycerolipid-synthesizing enzymes during differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Role in triacylglycerol synthesis.
abstract: The glycerophosphate backbone for triglyceride synthesis is commonly believed to be created through the conversion of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) by glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) to sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (GP), which is then converted by glycerophosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) to 1-acyl-GP. Consistent with this, GPD and GPAT are highly induced during differentiation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. While the acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate (acyl-DHAP) pathway for glycerolipid synthesis is commonly believed to be involved only in glycerol ether lipid synthesis, we report here that during conversion of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to adipocytes, the specific activity of peroxisomal DHAP acyltransferase (DHAPAT) is increased by 9-fold in 6 days, while acyl-DHAP:NADPH reductase is induced by 5-fold. A parallel increase in the catalase (the peroxisomal marker enzyme) activity is also seen. In contrast, the specific activity of alkyl-DHAP synthase, the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of the ether bond, is decreased by 60% during the same period. Unlike microsomal GPAT, the induced DHAPAT is found to have high activity at pH 5.5 and is resistant to inhibition by sulfhydryl agents, heat, and proteolysis. On subcellular fractionation, DHAPAT is found to be associated with microperoxisomes whereas GPAT activity is mainly present in microsomes. Northern blot analyses reveal that induction of DHAPAT can be largely explained through increases in DHAPAT mRNA. A comparison of microsomal and peroxisomal glycerolipid synthetic pathways, using D-[3-(3)H, U-(14)C]glucose as the precursor of the lipid glycerol backbone shows that about 40-50% of triglyceride is synthesized via the acyl-DHAP pathway. These results indicate that the acyl-DHAP pathway is important not only for the synthesis of ether lipids, but also for the synthesis of triacylglycerol and other non-ether glycerolipids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Mental Health Research Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104-1687, USA. akhajra@umich.edu
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Hajra
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Larkins
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hemati
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: MacDougald
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005992:Glycerol-3-Phosphate O-Acyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008066:Lipolysis; D051379:Mice; D020675:Peroxisomes / Q000201:enzymology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000201:enzymology; D013401:Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014280:Triglycerides; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; D013401:Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases; C022312:acylglycerone-phosphate reductase; D002374:Catalase; D000217:Acyltransferases; D005992:Glycerol-3-Phosphate O-Acyltransferase; C020051:glycerone-phosphate O-acyltransferase; D005947:Glucose