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Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology Jun 2017Cellular plasma membranes are laterally heterogeneous, featuring a variety of distinct subcompartments that differ in their biophysical properties and composition. A... (Review)
Review
Cellular plasma membranes are laterally heterogeneous, featuring a variety of distinct subcompartments that differ in their biophysical properties and composition. A large number of studies have focused on understanding the basis for this heterogeneity and its physiological relevance. The membrane raft hypothesis formalized a physicochemical principle for a subtype of such lateral membrane heterogeneity, in which the preferential associations between cholesterol and saturated lipids drive the formation of relatively packed (or ordered) membrane domains that selectively recruit certain lipids and proteins. Recent studies have yielded new insights into this mechanism and its relevance in vivo, owing primarily to the development of improved biochemical and biophysical technologies.
Topics: Animals; Cell Membrane; Humans; Membrane Lipids; Membrane Microdomains
PubMed: 28356571
DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2017.16 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2019Alterations on the immune system caused by omega-3 fatty acids have been described for 30 years. This family of polyunsaturated fatty acids exerts major alterations on... (Review)
Review
Alterations on the immune system caused by omega-3 fatty acids have been described for 30 years. This family of polyunsaturated fatty acids exerts major alterations on the activation of cells from both the innate and the adaptive immune system, although the mechanisms for such regulation are diverse. First, as a constitutive part of the cellular membrane, omega-3 fatty acids can regulate cellular membrane properties, such as membrane fluidity or complex assembly in lipid rafts. In recent years, however, a new role for omega-3 fatty acids and their derivatives as signaling molecules has emerged. In this review, we describe the latest findings describing the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on different cells from the immune system and their possible molecular mechanisms.
Topics: Adaptive Immunity; Animals; Cell Membrane; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Membrane Fluidity; Membrane Microdomains
PubMed: 31614433
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20205028 -
Cancer Metastasis Reviews Jun 2020Flotillins 1 and 2 are two ubiquitous, highly conserved homologous proteins that assemble to form heterotetramers at the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane in... (Review)
Review
Flotillins 1 and 2 are two ubiquitous, highly conserved homologous proteins that assemble to form heterotetramers at the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane in cholesterol- and sphingolipid-enriched domains. Flotillin heterotetramers can assemble into large oligomers to form molecular scaffolds that regulate the clustering of at the plasma membrane and activity of several receptors. Moreover, flotillins are upregulated in many invasive carcinomas and also in sarcoma, and this is associated with poor prognosis and metastasis formation. When upregulated, flotillins promote plasma membrane invagination and induce an endocytic pathway that allows the targeting of cargo proteins in the late endosomal compartment in which flotillins accumulate. These late endosomes are not degradative, and participate in the recycling and secretion of protein cargos. The cargos of this Upregulated Flotillin-Induced Trafficking (UFIT) pathway include molecules involved in signaling, adhesion, and extracellular matrix remodeling, thus favoring the acquisition of an invasive cellular behavior leading to metastasis formation. Thus, flotillin presence from the plasma membrane to the late endosomal compartment influences the activity, and even modifies the trafficking and fate of key protein cargos, favoring the development of diseases, for instance tumors. This review summarizes the current knowledge on flotillins and their role in cancer development focusing on their function in cellular membrane remodeling and vesicular trafficking regulation.
Topics: Animals; Carcinogenesis; Cell Membrane; Humans; Membrane Microdomains; Membrane Proteins; Neoplasms
PubMed: 32297092
DOI: 10.1007/s10555-020-09873-y -
Bone Research Nov 2023The cell membrane structure is closely related to the occurrence and progression of many metabolic bone diseases observed in the clinic and is an important target to the... (Review)
Review
The cell membrane structure is closely related to the occurrence and progression of many metabolic bone diseases observed in the clinic and is an important target to the development of therapeutic strategies for these diseases. Strong experimental evidence supports the existence of membrane microdomains in osteoclasts (OCs). However, the potential membrane microdomains and the crucial mechanisms underlying their roles in OCs have not been fully characterized. Membrane microdomain components, such as scaffolding proteins and the actin cytoskeleton, as well as the roles of individual membrane proteins, need to be elucidated. In this review, we discuss the compositions and critical functions of membrane microdomains that determine the biological behavior of OCs through the three main stages of the OC life cycle.
Topics: Osteoclasts; Membrane Proteins; Membrane Microdomains; Cell Membrane Structures
PubMed: 37989999
DOI: 10.1038/s41413-023-00294-5 -
Circulation Research Feb 2016Elevated levels of cholesteryl ester (CE)-enriched apoB containing plasma lipoproteins lead to increased foam cell formation, the first step in the development of... (Review)
Review
Elevated levels of cholesteryl ester (CE)-enriched apoB containing plasma lipoproteins lead to increased foam cell formation, the first step in the development of atherosclerosis. Unregulated uptake of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by circulating monocytes and other peripheral blood cells takes place through scavenger receptors and over time causes disruption in cellular cholesterol homeostasis. As lipoproteins are taken up, their CE core is hydrolyzed by liposomal lipases to generate free cholesterol (FC). FC can be either re-esterified and stored as CE droplets or shuttled to the plasma membrane for ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-mediated efflux. Because cholesterol is an essential component of all cellular membranes, some FC may be incorporated into microdomains or lipid rafts. These platforms are essential for receptor signaling and transduction, requiring rapid assembly and disassembly. ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 plays a major role in regulating microdomain cholesterol and is most efficient when lipid-poor apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) packages raft cholesterol into soluble particles that are eventually catabolized by the liver. If FC is not effluxed from the cell, it becomes esterified, CE droplets accumulate and microdomain cholesterol content becomes poorly regulated. This dysregulation leads to prolonged activation of immune cell signaling pathways, resulting in receptor oversensitization. The availability of apoAI or other amphipathic α-helix-rich apoproteins relieves the burden of excess microdomain cholesterol in immune cells allowing a reduction in immune cell proliferation and infiltration, thereby stimulating regression of foam cells in the artery. Therefore, cellular balance between FC and CE is essential for proper immune cell function and prevents chronic immune cell overstimulation and proliferation.
Topics: ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; Animals; Arteries; Atherosclerosis; Cholesterol; Cholesterol Esters; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, LDL; Esterification; Foam Cells; Humans; Hydrolysis; Inflammation; Lymphocyte Activation; Membrane Microdomains; T-Lymphocytes
PubMed: 26892966
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.115.306246 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2021Glycosphingolipids (GSLs), together with cholesterol, sphingomyelin (SM), and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored and membrane-associated signal transduction... (Review)
Review
Glycosphingolipids (GSLs), together with cholesterol, sphingomyelin (SM), and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored and membrane-associated signal transduction molecules, form GSL-enriched microdomains. These specialized microdomains interact in a manner with various immune receptors, affecting immune receptor-mediated signaling. This, in turn, results in the regulation of a broad range of immunological functions, including phagocytosis, cytokine production, antigen presentation and apoptosis. In addition, GSLs alone can regulate immunological functions by acting as ligands for immune receptors, and exogenous GSLs can alter the organization of microdomains and microdomain-associated signaling. Many pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi, enter host cells by binding to GSL-enriched microdomains. Intracellular pathogens survive inside phagocytes by manipulating intracellular microdomain-driven signaling and/or sphingolipid metabolism pathways. This review describes the mechanisms by which GSL-enriched microdomains regulate immune signaling.
Topics: Animals; Antigen Presentation; Apoptosis; Glycosphingolipids; Humans; Membrane Microdomains; Phagocytes; Phagocytosis; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 34502474
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179565 -
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta.... Feb 2022Cellular membranes are fundamental building blocks regulating an extensive repertoire of biological functions. These structures contain lipids and membrane proteins that... (Review)
Review
Cellular membranes are fundamental building blocks regulating an extensive repertoire of biological functions. These structures contain lipids and membrane proteins that are known to laterally self-aggregate in the plane of the membrane, forming defined membrane nanoscale domains essential for protein activity. Membrane rafts are described as heterogeneous, dynamic, and short-lived cholesterol- and sphingolipid-enriched membrane nanodomains (10-200 nm) induced by lipid-protein and lipid-lipid interactions. Those membrane nanodomains have been extensively characterized using model membranes and in silico methods. However, despite the development of advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques, undoubted nanoscale visualization by imaging techniques of membrane rafts in the membrane of unperturbed living cells is still uncompleted, increasing the skepticism about their existence. Here, we broadly review recent biochemical and microscopy techniques used to investigate membrane rafts in living cells and we enumerate persistent open questions to answer before unlocking the mystery of membrane rafts in living cells.
Topics: Cell Membrane; Humans; Ion Transport; Membrane Microdomains; Membrane Proteins; Sphingolipids
PubMed: 34748743
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183813 -
Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark) Nov 2017Protein S-acylation, also known as palmitoylation, consists of the addition of a lipid molecule to one or more cysteine residues through a thioester bond. This... (Review)
Review
Protein S-acylation, also known as palmitoylation, consists of the addition of a lipid molecule to one or more cysteine residues through a thioester bond. This modification, which is widespread in eukaryotes, is thought to affect over 12% of the human proteome. S-acylation allows the reversible association of peripheral proteins with membranes or, in the case of integral membrane proteins, modulates their behavior within the plane of the membrane. This review focuses on the consequences of protein S-acylation on intracellular trafficking and membrane association. We summarize relevant information that illustrates how lipid modification of proteins plays an important role in dictating precise intracellular movements within cells by regulating membrane-cytosol exchange, through membrane microdomain segregation, or by modifying the flux of the proteins by means of vesicular or diffusional transport systems. Finally, we highlight some of the key open questions and major challenges in the field.
Topics: Acylation; Cysteine; Humans; Lipid Metabolism; Lipoylation; Membrane Microdomains; Membrane Proteins; Palmitates; Protein Transport
PubMed: 28837239
DOI: 10.1111/tra.12510 -
The EMBO Journal Sep 2005The cellular lipidome comprises over 1000 different lipids. Most lipids look similar having a polar head and hydrophobic tails. Still, cells recognize lipids with... (Review)
Review
The cellular lipidome comprises over 1000 different lipids. Most lipids look similar having a polar head and hydrophobic tails. Still, cells recognize lipids with exquisite specificity. The functionality of lipids is determined by their local concentration, which varies between organelles, between the two leaflets of the lipid bilayer and even within the lateral plane of the membrane. To incorporate function, cellular lipidomics must not only determine which lipids are present but also the concentration of each lipid at each specific intracellular location in time and the lipid's interaction partners. Moreover, cellular lipidomics must include the enzymes of lipid metabolism and transport, their specificity, localization and regulation. Finally, it requires a thorough understanding of the physical properties of lipids and membranes, especially lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions. In the context of a cell, the complex relationships between metabolites can only be understood by viewing them as an integrated system. Cellular lipidomics provides a framework for understanding and manipulating the vital role of lipids, especially in membrane transport and sorting and in cell signaling.
Topics: Animals; Biological Transport; Cells; Humans; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids; Membrane Microdomains; Organelles
PubMed: 16138081
DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600798 -
Microbiology Spectrum Aug 2023Many eukaryotic membrane-dependent functions are often spatially and temporally regulated by membrane microdomains (FMMs), also known as lipid rafts. These domains are...
Many eukaryotic membrane-dependent functions are often spatially and temporally regulated by membrane microdomains (FMMs), also known as lipid rafts. These domains are enriched in polyisoprenoid lipids and scaffolding proteins belonging to the tomatin, rohibitin, lotillin, and flK/C (SPFH) protein superfamily that was also identified in Gram-positive bacteria. In contrast, little is still known about FMMs in Gram-negative bacteria. In Escherichia coli K-12, 4 SPFH proteins, YqiK, QmcA, HflK, and HflC, were shown to localize in discrete polar or lateral inner membrane locations, raising the possibility that E. coli SPFH proteins could contribute to the assembly of inner membrane FMMs and the regulation of cellular processes. Here, we studied the determinant of the localization of QmcA and HflC and showed that FMM-associated cardiolipin lipid biosynthesis is required for their native localization pattern. Using Biolog phenotypic arrays, we showed that a mutant lacking all SPFH genes displayed increased sensitivity to aminoglycosides and oxidative stress that is due to the absence of HflKC. Our study therefore provides further insights into the contribution of SPFH proteins to stress tolerance in E. coli. Eukaryotic cells often segregate physiological processes in cholesterol-rich functional membrane microdomains. These domains are also called lipid rafts and contain proteins of the tomatin, rohibitin, lotillin, and flK/C (SPFH) superfamily, which are also present in prokaryotes but have been mostly studied in Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we showed that the cell localization of the SPFH proteins QmcA and HflKC in the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli is altered in the absence of cardiolipin lipid synthesis. This suggests that cardiolipins contribute to E. coli membrane microdomain assembly. Using a broad phenotypic analysis, we also showed that HflKC contribute to E. coli tolerance to aminoglycosides and oxidative stress. Our study, therefore, provides new insights into the cellular processes associated with SPFH proteins in E. coli.
Topics: Escherichia coli Proteins; Escherichia coli; Prohibitins; Aminoglycosides; Cardiolipins; Escherichia coli K12; Membrane Microdomains; Oxidative Stress; Anti-Bacterial Agents
PubMed: 37347165
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01767-23