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Epand RM. The scientific adventures of Richard Epand. Biophys Chem 2023; 292:106931. [PMID: 36434860 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2022.106931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
This essay summarizes the many areas of science that my career has contributed to. It attempts to highlight some of the innovative concepts that developed from this work. The discussion encompasses studies I undertook from graduate school to the present but it will not attempt to be comprehensive. I apologize to individuals whose work I omitted. Because of space I cannot acknowledge all the contributions from other individuals that made these achievements possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Epand
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
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Massart J, Zierath JR. Role of Diacylglycerol Kinases in Glucose and Energy Homeostasis. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2019; 30:603-617. [PMID: 31331711 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) catalyze a reaction that converts diacylglycerol (DAG) to phosphatidic acid (PA). DAG and PA act as intermediates of de novo lipid synthesis, cellular membrane constituents, and signaling molecules. DGK isoforms regulate a variety of intracellular processes by terminating DAG signaling and activating PA-mediated pathways. The ten DGK isoforms are unique, not only structurally, but also in tissue-specific expression profiles, subcellular localization, regulatory mechanisms, and DAG preferences, suggesting isoform-specific functions. DAG accumulation has been associated with insulin resistance; however, this concept is challenged by opposing roles of DGK isoforms in the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity despite elevated DAG levels. This review focuses on the tissue- and isoform-specific role of DGK in glucose and energy homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Massart
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juleen R Zierath
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Li N, Sancak Y, Frasor J, Atilla-Gokcumen GE. A Protective Role for Triacylglycerols during Apoptosis. Biochemistry 2017; 57:72-80. [PMID: 29188717 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are one of the major constituents of the glycerolipid family. Their main role in cells is to store excess fatty acids, and they are mostly found within lipid droplets. TAGs contain acyl chains that vary in length and degree of unsaturation, resulting in hundreds of chemically distinct species. We have previously reported that TAGs containing polyunsaturated fatty acyl chains (PUFA-TAGs) accumulate via activation of diacylglycerol acyltransferases during apoptosis. In this work, we show that accumulation of PUFA-TAGs is a general phenomenon during this process. We further show that the accumulated PUFA-TAGs are stored in lipid droplets. Because membrane-residing PUFA phospholipids can undergo oxidation and form reactive species under increased levels of oxidative stress, we hypothesized that incorporation of PUFAs into PUFA-TAGs and their localization within lipid droplets during apoptosis limit the toxicity during this process. Indeed, exogenous delivery of a polyunsaturated fatty acid resulted in a profound accumulation of PUFA phospholipids and rendered cells more sensitive to oxidative stress, causing reduced viability. Overall, our results support the concept that activation of TAG biosynthesis protects cells from lipid peroxide-induced membrane damage under increased levels of oxidative stress during apoptosis. As such, targeting triacylglycerol biosynthesis in cancer cells might represent a new approach to promoting cell death during apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasi Li
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY) , Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Yasemin Sancak
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jonna Frasor
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - G Ekin Atilla-Gokcumen
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY) , Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
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Mannerås-Holm L, Schönke M, Brozinick JT, Vetterli L, Bui HH, Sanders P, Nascimento EBM, Björnholm M, Chibalin AV, Zierath JR. Diacylglycerol kinase ε deficiency preserves glucose tolerance and modulates lipid metabolism in obese mice. J Lipid Res 2017; 58:907-915. [PMID: 28246337 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m074443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) catalyze the phosphorylation and conversion of diacylglycerol (DAG) into phosphatidic acid. DGK isozymes have unique primary structures, expression patterns, subcellular localizations, regulatory mechanisms, and DAG preferences. DGKε has a hydrophobic segment that promotes its attachment to membranes and shows substrate specificity for DAG with an arachidonoyl acyl chain in the sn-2 position of the substrate. We determined the role of DGKε in the regulation of energy and glucose homeostasis in relation to diet-induced insulin resistance and obesity using DGKε-KO and wild-type mice. Lipidomic analysis revealed elevated unsaturated and saturated DAG species in skeletal muscle of DGKε KO mice, which was paradoxically associated with increased glucose tolerance. Although skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity was unaltered, whole-body respiratory exchange ratio was reduced, and abundance of mitochondrial markers was increased, indicating a greater reliance on fat oxidation and intracellular lipid metabolism in DGKε KO mice. Thus, the increased intracellular lipids in skeletal muscle from DGKε KO mice may undergo rapid turnover because of increased mitochondrial function and lipid oxidation, rather than storage, which in turn may preserve insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, DGKε plays a role in glucose and energy homeostasis by modulating lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Mannerås-Holm
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Milena Schönke
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Laurène Vetterli
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hai-Hoang Bui
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Philip Sanders
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Emmani B M Nascimento
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Björnholm
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander V Chibalin
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juleen R Zierath
- Section of Integrative Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Epand RM, So V, Jennings W, Khadka B, Gupta RS, Lemaire M. Diacylglycerol Kinase-ε: Properties and Biological Roles. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 4:112. [PMID: 27803897 PMCID: PMC5067486 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals there are at least 10 isoforms of diacylglycerol kinases (DGK). All catalyze the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol (DAG) to phosphatidic acid (PA). Among DGK isoforms, DGKε has several unique features. It is the only DGK isoform with specificity for a particular species of DAG, i.e., 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl glycerol. The smallest of all known DGK isoforms, DGKε, is also the only DGK devoid of a regulatory domain. DGKε is the only DGK isoform that has a hydrophobic segment that is predicted to form a transmembrane helix. As the only membrane-bound, constitutively active DGK isoform with exquisite specificity for particular molecular species of DAG, the functional overlap between DGKε and other DGKs is predicted to be minimal. DGKε exhibits specificity for DAG containing the same acyl chains as those found in the lipid intermediates of the phosphatidylinositol-cycle. It has also been shown that DGKε affects the acyl chain composition of phosphatidylinositol in whole cells. It is thus likely that DGKε is responsible for catalyzing one step in the phosphatidylinositol-cycle. Steps of this cycle take place in both the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. DGKε is likely present in both of these membranes. DGKε is the only DGK isoform that is associated with a human disease. Indeed, recessive loss-of-function mutations in DGKε cause atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome (aHUS). This condition is characterized by thrombosis in the small vessels of the kidney. It causes acute renal insufficiency in infancy and most patients develop end-stage renal failure before adulthood. Disease pathophysiology is poorly understood and there is no therapy. There are also data suggesting that DGKε may play a role in epilepsy and Huntington disease. Thus, DGKε has many unique molecular and biochemical properties when compared to all other DGK isoforms. DGKε homologs also contain a number of conserved sequence features that are distinctive characteristics of either the rodents or specific groups of primate homologs. How cells, tissues and organisms harness DGKε's catalytic prowess remains unclear. The discovery of DGKε's role in causing aHUS will hopefully boost efforts to unravel the mechanisms by which DGKε dysfunction causes disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Epand
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Vincent So
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences CentreHamilton, ON, Canada; Nephrology Division and Cell Biology Program, Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, ON, Canada
| | - William Jennings
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Bijendra Khadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Radhey S Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Mathieu Lemaire
- Nephrology Division and Cell Biology Program, Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medicine, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada
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Epand RM, So V, Jennings W, Khadka B, Gupta RS, Lemaire M. Diacylglycerol Kinase-ε: Properties and Biological Roles. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016. [PMID: 27803897 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00112)] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals there are at least 10 isoforms of diacylglycerol kinases (DGK). All catalyze the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol (DAG) to phosphatidic acid (PA). Among DGK isoforms, DGKε has several unique features. It is the only DGK isoform with specificity for a particular species of DAG, i.e., 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl glycerol. The smallest of all known DGK isoforms, DGKε, is also the only DGK devoid of a regulatory domain. DGKε is the only DGK isoform that has a hydrophobic segment that is predicted to form a transmembrane helix. As the only membrane-bound, constitutively active DGK isoform with exquisite specificity for particular molecular species of DAG, the functional overlap between DGKε and other DGKs is predicted to be minimal. DGKε exhibits specificity for DAG containing the same acyl chains as those found in the lipid intermediates of the phosphatidylinositol-cycle. It has also been shown that DGKε affects the acyl chain composition of phosphatidylinositol in whole cells. It is thus likely that DGKε is responsible for catalyzing one step in the phosphatidylinositol-cycle. Steps of this cycle take place in both the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. DGKε is likely present in both of these membranes. DGKε is the only DGK isoform that is associated with a human disease. Indeed, recessive loss-of-function mutations in DGKε cause atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome (aHUS). This condition is characterized by thrombosis in the small vessels of the kidney. It causes acute renal insufficiency in infancy and most patients develop end-stage renal failure before adulthood. Disease pathophysiology is poorly understood and there is no therapy. There are also data suggesting that DGKε may play a role in epilepsy and Huntington disease. Thus, DGKε has many unique molecular and biochemical properties when compared to all other DGK isoforms. DGKε homologs also contain a number of conserved sequence features that are distinctive characteristics of either the rodents or specific groups of primate homologs. How cells, tissues and organisms harness DGKε's catalytic prowess remains unclear. The discovery of DGKε's role in causing aHUS will hopefully boost efforts to unravel the mechanisms by which DGKε dysfunction causes disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Epand
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Vincent So
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences CentreHamilton, ON, Canada; Nephrology Division and Cell Biology Program, Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, ON, Canada
| | - William Jennings
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Bijendra Khadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Radhey S Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Mathieu Lemaire
- Nephrology Division and Cell Biology Program, Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medicine, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada
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