PR002673 (Project)

Description:Fatty acids (FAs) are essential metabolites in energy homeostasis. Adipocytes store FAs as triacylglycerol (TG) in their lipid droplets and mobilize them upon demand in order to provide energy for peripheral tissues. While the mobilization of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) during lipolysis is largely documented, there is little information on the metabolism of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SMCFA) in adipocytes. We demonstrate that adipocytes store SMCFAs in their lipid droplets and that following lipolysis initiation, TGs containing SMCFAs undergo rapid hydrolysis. We found that this process is facilitated by the preferential accumulation of SMCFA-containing TGs at the surface of lipid droplets, thereby enhancing their accessibility to lipases. Unlike LCFAs, SMCFAs are not released from the adipocytes following lipolysis but undergo oxidation within the cell. Our findings suggest that SMCFAs are preferentially mobilized and oxidized to provide energy for the adipocyte, highlighting a distinct metabolic fate compared to LCFAs.