Dietary fat overconsumption leads to myocardial lipid accumulation through mechanisms that are incompletely resolved. Previously, we identified increased translocation of the fatty acid transporter CD36 from its endosomal storage compartment to the sarcolemma as the primary mechanism of excessive myocellular lipid import. Here, we show that increased CD36 translocation is caused by alkalinization of endosomes resulting from inhibition of proton pumping activity of vacuolar-type H-ATPase (v-ATPase). Endosomal alkalinization was observed in hearts from rats fed a lard-based high-fat diet and in rodent and human cardiomyocytes upon palmitate overexposure, and appeared as an early lipid-induced event preceding the onset of insulin resistance. Either genetic or pharmacological inhibition of v-ATPase in cardiomyocytes exposed to low palmitate concentrations reduced insulin sensitivity and cardiomyocyte contractility, which was rescued by CD36 silencing. The mechanism of palmitate-induced v-ATPase inhibition involved its dissociation into two parts: the cytosolic V and the integral membrane V subcomplex. Interestingly, oleate also inhibits v-ATPase function, yielding triacylglycerol accumulation but not insulin resistance. In conclusion, lipid oversupply increases CD36-mediated lipid uptake that directly impairs v-ATPase function. This feeds forward to enhanced CD36 translocation and further increased lipid uptake. In the case of palmitate, its accelerated uptake ultimately precipitates into cardiac insulin resistance and contractile dysfunction.

An increased cardiac fatty acid supply and increased sarcolemmal presence of the long-chain fatty acid transporter CD36 are associated with and contribute to impaired cardiac insulin sensitivity and function. In the present study we aimed at preventing the development of insulin resistance and contractile dysfunction in cardiomyocytes by blocking CD36-mediated palmitate uptake. Insulin resistance and contractile dysfunction were induced in primary cardiomyocytes by 48 h incubation in media containing either 100 nM insulin (high insulin; HI) or 200 μM palmitate (high palmitate; HP). Under both culture conditions, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and Akt phosphorylation were abrogated or markedly reduced. Furthermore, cardiomyocytes cultured in each medium displayed elevated sarcolemmal CD36 content, increased basal palmitate uptake, lipid accumulation and decreased sarcomere shortening. Immunochemical CD36 inhibition enhanced basal glucose uptake and prevented elevated basal palmitate uptake, triacylglycerol accumulation and contractile dysfunction in cardiomyocytes cultured in either medium. Additionally, CD36 inhibition prevented loss of insulin signalling in cells cultured in HP, but not in HI medium. In conclusion, CD36 inhibition prevents lipid accumulation and lipid-induced contractile dysfunction in cardiomyocytes, but probably independently of effects on insulin signalling. Nonetheless, pharmacological CD36 inhibition may be considered as a treatment strategy to counteract impaired functioning of the lipid-loaded heart.

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Cardiomyocytes use glucose as well as fatty acids for ATP production. These substrates are transported into the cell by glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and the fatty acid transporter CD36. Besides being located at the sarcolemma, GLUT4 and CD36 are stored in intracellular compartments. Raised plasma insulin concentrations and increased cardiac work will stimulate GLUT4 as well as CD36 to translocate to the sarcolemma. As so far studied, signaling pathways that regulate GLUT4 translocation similarly affect CD36 translocation. During the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, CD36 becomes permanently localized at the sarcolemma, whereas GLUT4 internalizes. This juxtaposed positioning of GLUT4 and CD36 is important for aberrant substrate uptake in the diabetic heart: chronically increased fatty acid uptake at the expense of glucose. To explain the differences in subcellular localization of GLUT4 and CD36 in type 2 diabetes, recent research has focused on the role of proteins involved in trafficking of cargo between subcellular compartments. Several of these proteins appear to be similarly involved in both GLUT4 and CD36 translocation. Others, however, have different roles in either GLUT4 or CD36 translocation. These trafficking components, which are differently involved in GLUT4 or CD36 translocation, may be considered novel targets for the development of therapies to restore the imbalanced substrate utilization that occurs in obesity, insulin resistance and diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Objective: The scavenger receptor CD36 facilitates the cellular uptake of long-chain fatty acids. As CD36-deficiency attenuates the development of high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, the role of CD36-deficiency in preadipocyte recruitment and adipocyte function was set out to characterize. Design and Methods: Fat cell size and number were determined in gonadal, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue of CD36 À/À and WT mice after 6 weeks on HFD. Basal lipolysis and insulin-inhibited lipolysis were investigated in gonadal adipose tissue. Results: CD36 À/À mice showed a reduction in adipocyte size in all fat pads. Gonadal adipose tissue also showed a lower total number of adipocytes because of a lower number of very small adipocytes (diameter <50 lm). This was accompanied by an increased pool of preadipocytes, which suggests that CD36-deficiency reduces the capacity of preadipocytes to become adipocytes. Regarding lipolysis, in adipose tissue from CD36 À/À mice, cAMP levels were increased and both basal and 8-bromo-cAMP stimulated lipolysis were higher. However, insulin-mediated inhibition of lipolysis was more potent in CD36 À/À mice. Conclusions: These results indicate that during fat depot expansion, CD36-deficiency negatively affects preadipocyte recruitment and that in mature adipocytes, CD36-deficiency is associated with increased basal lipolysis and insulin responsiveness.

Since the first description of galactosemia in 1908 and despite decades of research, the pathophysiology is complex and not yet fully elucidated. Galactosemia is an inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism caused by deficient activity of any of the galactose metabolising enzymes. The current standard of care, a galactoserestricted diet, fails to prevent long-term complications. Studies in cellular and animal models in the past decades have led to an enormous progress and advancement of knowledge. Summarising current evidence in the pathophysiology underlying hereditary galactosemia may contribute to the identification of treatment targets for alternative therapies that may successfully prevent long-term complications. A systematic review of cellular and animal studies reporting on disease complications (clinical signs and/or biochemical findings) and/or treatment targets in hereditary galactosemia was performed. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched, 46 original articles were included. Results revealed that Gal-1-P is not the sole pathophysiological agent responsible for the phenotype observed in galactosemia. Other currently described contributing factors include accumulation of galactose metabolites, uridine diphosphate (UDP)-hexose alterations and subsequent impaired glycosylation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, altered signalling pathways, and oxidative stress. SSIEM 392J Inherit Metab Dis. 2020;43:392-408. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jimd pyrophosphorylase (UGP) up-regulation, uridine supplementation, ER stress reducers, antioxidants and pharmacological chaperones have been studied, showing rescue of biochemical and/or clinical symptoms in galactosemia. Promising co-adjuvant therapies include antioxidant therapy and UGP up-regulation. This systematic review provides an overview of the scattered information resulting from animal and cellular studies performed in the past decades, summarising the complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying hereditary galactosemia and providing insights on potential treatment targets. K E Y W O R D Sanimal models, cellular models, hereditary galactosemia, pathophysiology, treatment targets

In the insulin resistant heart, energy fuel selection shifts away from glucose utilization towards almost complete dependence on long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). This shift results in excessive cardiac lipid accumulation and eventually heart failure. Lipid-induced cardiomyopathy may be averted by strategies that increase glucose uptake without elevating LCFA uptake. Protein kinase-D1 (PKD1) is involved in contraction-induced glucose, but not LCFA, uptake allowing to hypothesize that this kinase is an attractive target to treat lipid-induced cardiomyopathy. For this, cardiospecific constitutively active PKD1 overexpression (caPKD1)-mice were subjected to an insulin resistance-inducing high fat-diet for 20-weeks. Substrate utilization was assessed by microPET and cardiac function by echocardiography. Cardiomyocytes were isolated for measurement of substrate uptake, lipid accumulation and insulin sensitivity. Wild-type mice on a high fat-diet displayed increased basal myocellular LCFA uptake, increased lipid deposition, greatly impaired insulin signaling, and loss of insulin-stimulated glucose and LCFA uptake, which was associated with concentric hypertrophic remodeling. The caPKD1 mice on high-fat diet showed none of these characteristics, whereas on low-fat diet a shift towards cardiac glucose utilization in combination with hypertrophy and ventricular dilation was observed. In conclusion, these data suggest that PKD pathway activation may be an attractive therapeutic strategy to mitigate lipid accumulation, insulin resistance and maladaptive remodeling in the lipid-overloaded heart, but this requires further investigation.

Cardiac patients often are obese and have hypertension, but in most studies these conditions are investigated separately. Here, we aimed at 1) elucidating the interaction of metabolic and mechanophysical stress in the development of cardiac dysfunction in mice and 2) preventing this interaction by ablation of the fatty acid transporter CD36. Male wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6 mice and CD36(-/-) mice received chow or Western-type diet (WTD) for 10 wk and then underwent a sham surgery or transverse aortic constriction (TAC) under anesthesia. After a 6-wk continuation of the diet, cardiac function, morphology, lipid profiles, and molecular parameters were assessed. WTD administration affected body and organ weights of WT and CD36(-/-) mice, but it affected only plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in WT mice. Cardiac lipid concentrations increased in WT mice receiving WTD, decreased in CD36(-/-) on chow, and remained unchanged in CD36(-/-) receiving WTD. TAC induced cardiac hypertrophy in WT mice on chow but did not affect cardiac function and cardiac lipid concentrations. WTD or CD36 ablation worsened the outcome of TAC. Ablation of CD36 protected against the WTD-related aggravation of cardiac functional and structural changes induced by TAC. In conclusion, cardiac dysfunction and remodeling worsen when the heart is exposed to two stresses, metabolic and mechanophysical, at the same time. CD36 ablation prevents the metabolic stress resulting from a WTD. Thus, metabolic conditions are a critical factor for the compromised heart and provide new targets for metabolic manipulation in cardioprotection.