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Review
. 2018 Jul 17;138(3):305-315.
doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.033704.

Deciphering the Role of Lipid Droplets in Cardiovascular Disease: A Report From the 2017 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop

Ira J Goldberg  1 , Karen Reue  2 , Nada A Abumrad  3 , Perry E Bickel  4 , Sarah Cohen  5 , Edward A Fisher  1 , Zorina S Galis  6 , James G Granneman  7 , E Douglas Lewandowski  8 , Robert Murphy  9 , Michelle Olive  6 , Jean E Schaffer  3 , Lisa Schwartz-Longacre  6 , Gerald I Shulman  10 , Tobias C Walther  11 , Jue Chen  12
Affiliations
Review

Deciphering the Role of Lipid Droplets in Cardiovascular Disease: A Report From the 2017 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop

Ira J Goldberg et al. Circulation. .

Abstract

Lipid droplets (LDs) are distinct and dynamic organelles that affect the health of cells and organs. Much progress has been made in understanding how these structures are formed, how they interact with other cellular organelles, how they are used for storage of triacylglycerol in adipose tissue, and how they regulate lipolysis. Our understanding of the biology of LDs in the heart and vascular tissue is relatively primitive in comparison with LDs in adipose tissue and liver. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a working group to discuss how LDs affect cardiovascular diseases. The goal of the working group was to examine the current state of knowledge on the cell biology of LDs, including current methods to study them in cells and organs and reflect on how LDs influence the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. This review summarizes the working group discussion and recommendations on research areas ripe for future investigation that will likely improve our understanding of atherosclerosis and heart function.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; heart failure; metabolic syndrome; obesity; triglycerides.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Lipid Droplets in Cardiovascular Diseases
Lipid droplets (shown as yellow circles) are likely to play a central role in most cardiovascular diseases. A. Within arterial macrophages, lipid droplets consisting of cholesteryl esters are the hallmark of foam cells, but additional lipids may be present as well. B. Within the heart, LDs represent either a stored form of energy or an indicator of defective fatty acid oxidation, coupled to non-regulated uptake, associated with reduced heart function. However, LD component proteins, associated enzymes, movement within the cell, and biological importance requires additional studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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