Lipids@Wayne is excited to host Dr. Michael Schlame, M.D. for our next faculty research seminar on Jan. 22nd. Dr. Schlame is a professor in the Dept. of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine & Dept. of Cell Biology in the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine. He is also the director of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia at NYU Langone Health.

All are welcome to attend! Pizza provided starting at 3:45 pm.

Seminar Title:  A Novel Pathway to Recycle Unsaturated Lysophospholipids: Emerging Evidence for a “Too Much Food” signal

Abstract:  Lysosomal phospholipid degradation produces two types of intermediates, 2-lysophospholipids with saturated fatty acids in sn-1 position and 1-lysophospholipids with unsaturated fatty acids in sn-2 position. They may either be degraded further or be reused for phospholipid synthesis. We found that the enzyme LPGAT1 recycles unsaturated 1-lysophospholipids, the more precious of the two intermediates, to regenerate cellular membranes. Purified LPGAT1 had stearoyl-CoA acyltransferase activity with strong substrate specificity for 1-lysopospholipids if they carried unsaturated chains. Substrates originated from phospholipid breakdown pathways, such as endocytosed lipoproteins. Deletion of LPGAT1 in mice increased the concentration of unsaturated lysophospholipids, altered the molecular composition of membrane phospholipids, triggered lipid droplet formation, and inhibited the regeneration of mitochondrial membranes. Thus, LPGAT1 occupies a central position in the regulation of lipid fluxes. While low LPGAT1 activity promotes the storage of lipids, high LPGAT1 activity promotes their use for membrane regeneration.