Liver fat storage pathways: methodologies and dietary effects

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Nonalcoholic fatty liver is the result of an imbalance between lipid storage [from meal, de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and fatty acid (FA) uptake] and disposal (oxidation and VLDL output). Knowledge on the contribution of each of these pathways to liver fat content in humans is essential to develop tailored strategies to prevent and treat nonalcoholic fatty liver. Here, we review the techniques available to study the different storage pathways and review dietary modulation of these pathways.

RECENT FINDINGS

The type of carbohydrate and fat could be of importance in modulating DNL, as complex carbohydrates and omega-3 FAs have been shown to reduce DNL. No effects were found on the other pathways, however studies investigating this are scarce.

SUMMARY

Techniques used to assess storage pathways are predominantly stable isotope techniques, which require specific expertise and are costly. Validated biomarkers are often lacking. These methodological limitations also translate into a limited number of studies investigating to what extent storage pathways can be modulated by diet. Further research is needed to elucidate in more detail the impact that fat and carbohydrate type can have on liver fat storage pathways and content.

More insights into a human adipose tissue GPAT activity assay

Adipose tissue fatty acid storage varies according to sex, adipose tissue depot and degree of fat gain. However, the mechanism(s) for these variations is not completely understood. We recently published findings based on the glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) enzyme activity assay we optimized for use with human adipose tissue. These findings include a decrease in total GPAT and GPAT1 as a function of adipocyte size in both omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue and a strong, positive correlations between ACS, GPAT, and DGAT activities for both sexes and depots and between these storage factors and palmitate storage rates into TAG. The aim of this commentary is to expand upon the data from our recent publication. We describe here additional details on the optimization of the GPAT enzyme activity assay, a correlation between DGAT and percentage palmitate in the diacylglycerol fraction, and sex differences in fatty acid storage factors and storage rates into TAG at high palmitate concentrations.