Death by lipids: The role of small nucleolar RNAs in metabolic stress

J Biol Chem. 2020 Jun 19;295(25):8628-8635. doi: 10.1074/jbc.AW120.011105. Epub 2020 May 11.

Abstract

Excess fatty acid accumulation in nonadipose tissues leads to cell dysfunction and cell death that is linked to the pathogenesis of inherited and acquired human diseases. Study of this process, known as lipotoxicity, has provided new insights into the regulation of lipid homeostasis and has revealed new molecular pathways involved in lipid-induced cellular stress. The discovery that disruption of specific small nucleolar RNAs protects against fatty acid-induced cell death and remodels metabolism in vivo opens new opportunities for understanding how nutrient signals influence cellular and systemic metabolic homeostasis through RNA biology.

Keywords: RNA; diabetes; diabetes complications; fatty acid; genetic screens; lipotoxicity; noncoding RNA; noncoding RNAs; snoRNAs; triacylglycerol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Death* / drug effects
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / drug effects
  • Fatty Acids / metabolism*
  • Fatty Acids / toxicity
  • Humans
  • Metabolic Syndrome / genetics
  • Metabolic Syndrome / metabolism
  • Metabolic Syndrome / pathology
  • RNA, Small Nucleolar / metabolism*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism

Substances

  • Fatty Acids
  • RNA, Small Nucleolar
  • Reactive Oxygen Species