Identification of VAT1 as a regulator of lipid metabolism at mitochondria endoplasmic reticulum contact sites and implications in liver pathology

[eng] Lipid homeostasis is of vital importance for cellular health and its disruption is a hallmark of disease. Recently, our lab reported that ablation of Mitofusin 2 (MFN2) leads to liver disease, a phenotype driven by deficient phosphatidylserine (PS) transport at the mitochondria- endoplasmic re...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Danezi, Aikaterini
Tipo de recurso: tesis doctoral
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/221216
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/221216
http://hdl.handle.net/10803/694505
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Citologia
Àcids grassos
Metabolisme dels lípids
Fetge
Cytology
Fatty acids
Lipid metabolism
Liver
Descripción
Sumario:[eng] Lipid homeostasis is of vital importance for cellular health and its disruption is a hallmark of disease. Recently, our lab reported that ablation of Mitofusin 2 (MFN2) leads to liver disease, a phenotype driven by deficient phosphatidylserine (PS) transport at the mitochondria- endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites (MERCs). Despite the capacity of MFN2 to extract PS from membranes and generate PS-rich domains, evidence suggested that it does not possess lipid transport properties. In this study, we propose that Vesicle amine transport protein 1 (VAT1) localises at MERCs, interacts with MFN2 and its PS transport capacity is modulated by MFN2 in vitro. Our results in cells additionally suggest a functional relationship between VAT1 and MFN2. Finally, our study reveals that ablation of hepatic VAT1 in mice leads to sex-dependent metabolic adaptations and has a detrimental effect on the lipid profile of mitochondria-associated membranes, ER and pure mitochondria.