NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity

Summary: Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles comprising a neutral lipid core encapsulated by a phospholipid monolayer. LD structure and function are influenced by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic signals, and cells alter LD content and distribution to adapt to their environment. Here, we...

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Main Authors: Christopher T. Prevost, William B. Gansereit, David F. Kashatus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011861
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author Christopher T. Prevost
William B. Gansereit
David F. Kashatus
author_facet Christopher T. Prevost
William B. Gansereit
David F. Kashatus
author_sort Christopher T. Prevost
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles comprising a neutral lipid core encapsulated by a phospholipid monolayer. LD structure and function are influenced by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic signals, and cells alter LD content and distribution to adapt to their environment. Here, we show that LD content increases in response to stabilization of the transcription factor NRF2 under conditions of lipotoxic stress. Notably, NRF2 activity leads to increased expression of the G0S2, a protein that inhibits ATGL, the enzyme responsible for degradation of triacylglycerol and the release of fatty acids from LDs. Importantly, stabilization of NRF2 in the absence of stress is sufficient to increase LD content, and inhibition of ATGL partially rescues the impact of NRF2 deletion on stress-induced ferroptosis. These data support a model in which stress-induced NRF2 stabilization protects cells against lipotoxicity in part through the sequestration of fatty acids in lipid droplets.
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spelling doaj-art-ddd5b4dfd9fe438e9b564a9ba47d8b6c2025-07-04T04:46:43ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-07-01287112925NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicityChristopher T. Prevost0William B. Gansereit1David F. Kashatus2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USADepartment of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USADepartment of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Corresponding authorSummary: Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles comprising a neutral lipid core encapsulated by a phospholipid monolayer. LD structure and function are influenced by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic signals, and cells alter LD content and distribution to adapt to their environment. Here, we show that LD content increases in response to stabilization of the transcription factor NRF2 under conditions of lipotoxic stress. Notably, NRF2 activity leads to increased expression of the G0S2, a protein that inhibits ATGL, the enzyme responsible for degradation of triacylglycerol and the release of fatty acids from LDs. Importantly, stabilization of NRF2 in the absence of stress is sufficient to increase LD content, and inhibition of ATGL partially rescues the impact of NRF2 deletion on stress-induced ferroptosis. These data support a model in which stress-induced NRF2 stabilization protects cells against lipotoxicity in part through the sequestration of fatty acids in lipid droplets.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011861Biological sciencesBiochemistryCell biology
spellingShingle Christopher T. Prevost
William B. Gansereit
David F. Kashatus
NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
iScience
Biological sciences
Biochemistry
Cell biology
title NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
title_full NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
title_fullStr NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
title_full_unstemmed NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
title_short NRF2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
title_sort nrf2 regulates lipid droplet dynamics to prevent lipotoxicity
topic Biological sciences
Biochemistry
Cell biology
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011861
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AT williambgansereit nrf2regulateslipiddropletdynamicstopreventlipotoxicity
AT davidfkashatus nrf2regulateslipiddropletdynamicstopreventlipotoxicity