Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) deficiency attenuates high fat diet induced obesity and insulin resistance

Publication date: Available online 17 June 2019Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular and Cell Biology of LipidsAuthor(s): Guohua Song, Chuanlong Zong, Mingzhu Shao, Yang Yu, Qian Liu, Hui Wang, Tingting Qiu, Peng Jiao, Zheng Guo, Phoebe Lee, Yi Luo, Xian-Cheng Jiang, Shucun QinAbstractIncreased phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity has been found to be associated with obesity, and metabolic syndrome in humans. However, whether or not PLTP has a direct effect on insulin sensitivity and obesity is largely unknown. Here we analyzed the effect by using PLTP knockout (PLTP−/−) mouse model. Although, PLTP−/− mice have normal body-weight-gain under chow diet, these mice were protected from high-fat-diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, compared with wild type mice. In order to understand the mechanism, we evaluated insulin receptor and Akt activation and found that PLTP deficiency significantly enhanced phosphorylated insulin receptor and Akt levels in high-fat-diet fed mouse livers, adipose tissues, and muscles after insulin stimulation, while total Akt and insulin receptor levels were unchanged. Moreover, we found that the PLTP deficiency induced significantly more GLUT4 protein in the plasma membranes of adipocytes and muscle cells after insulin stimulation. Finally, we found that PLTP-deficient hepatocytes had less sphingomyelins and free cholesterols in the lipid rafts and plasma membranes than that of controls and this may provide a mol...
Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids - Category: Lipidology Source Type: research