Phospholipid Membrane Transport and Associated Diseases

• Published in: Biomedicines Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 1201
• Main Authors: Ventura, Raúl, Martínez-Ruiz, Inma, Hernández-Alvarez, María Isabel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.05.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Apposition; Arteriosclerosis; Cellular stress response; Endoplasmic reticulum; Enzymes; Fatty acids; Gene expression; Glycerol; glycerophospholipid; Inner membranes; Lipid transfer proteins; lipid transport proteins; Lipids; Mammals; membrane contact sites; Membranes; Mfn2; Mitochondria; Organelles; Oxidative stress; oxidized phospholipid; Phosphatase; Phospholipids; Plasma; Proteins; Review; Mfn2; glycerophospholipid; lipid transport proteins; membrane contact sites; oxidized phospholipid
• ISSN: 2227-9059; 2227-9059
• DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051201

Phospholipids are the basic structure block of eukaryotic membranes, in both the outer and inner membranes, which delimit cell organelles. Phospholipids can also be damaged by oxidative stress produced by mitochondria, for instance, becoming oxidized phospholipids. These damaged phospholipids have been related to prevalent diseases such as atherosclerosis or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) because they alter gene expression and induce cellular stress and apoptosis. One of the main sites of phospholipid synthesis is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). ER association with other organelles through membrane contact sites (MCS) provides a close apposition for lipid transport. Additionally, an important advance in this small cytosolic gap are lipid transfer proteins (LTPs), which accelerate and modulate the distribution of phospholipids in other organelles. In this regard, LTPs can be established as an essential point within phospholipid circulation, as relevant data show impaired phospholipid transport when LTPs are defected. This review will focus on phospholipid function, metabolism, non-vesicular transport, and associated diseases.