Dehydration promotes intracellular lipid synthesis and accumulation

Abstract

Lipids can be considered a water reservoir used to offset dehydration stress as their oxidation by the mitochondria generates water. However, whether dehydration directly regulates lipid synthesis is unknown, which is the focus of this study. We found that dehydration stress decreases cellular oxygen consumption, increases intracellular lipid synthesis, and favors glutamine oxidation as a carbon precursor for lipid synthesis via remodeling mitochondrial metabolism. These findings provide a mechanism whereby cellular dehydration leads to intracellular lipid accumulation, functionally linking water availability to lipid storage.