FATTY ACID BINDING PROTEINS-LIGAND SPECIFICITY

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Abnormal energy regulation may contribute to onset and progression of chronic metabolic conditions such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, which cause -60%of the world's mortality (rev. in (1). Our lab is interested in how long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) reach nuclei, bind Deroxisomal proliferator receptor a (PPARa), and initiate transcription for energy metabolism or storage. We Hypothesize that liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) transfers and channels LCFAs to nuclei, binding to and initiating PPARa transcriptional activity. Using purified L-FABP and PPARa, L-FABP overexpressed L- cells, L-FABP null mice, and cultured hepatocytes from L-FABP null mice, we propose to: Aim 1. Determine if the phenotype of L-FABP null mice is consistent with abnormal PPARa regulation. L-FABP null mice share many PPARa null mouse features (inhibition of LCFA oxidation, hypertriglycerid- emia, sex/age-dependent obesity). L-FABP null mice exhibit upregulation of SCP-2/SCP-x, the converse of upregulation of L-FABP in SCP-2/SCP-x null mice. We have bred SCP-x, SCP-2/SCP-x, and L-FABP/SCP- 2/SCP-x null mice to clarify the in vivo role of LCFA/LCFA-CoA binding proteins in PPARa regulation. Aim 2. Examine the role of L-FABP in targeting LCFAs to the nucleus for interaction with PPARa. L-FABP enhances saturated LCFA targeting to nuclei. We will use novel fluorescent polyunsaturated (n-3, n-5) and branched-chain (phytanic acid) LCFAs, fluorescent-L-FABP (EYFP-, Cy3-, Cy5-) and immunogold EM, to show if: (i) L-FABP cotransports bound LCFAs into nuclei; (ii)LCFAs enhance L-FABP distribution into nuclei; (iii)nuclear targeting of LCFAs depend on relative binding affinities of L-FABP and PPARa. Aim 3. Resolve molecular interactions of L-FABP with PPARa. Physical and immunological techniques show that L-FABP binds PPARa in vitro. We will examine ligand specificity, conformational responsiveness, and co-activator or co-repressor binding, using: (i) purified proteins in vitro; (ii) FRET between EYFP-L- FABP/ECFP-PPARa or Cy3-L-FABP/Cy5-PPARa in living cells; (iii)immunogold EM; and (iv) fluorescence correlation spectroscopy in living cells (L-cells, primary cultured hepatocytes). Aim 4. Determine the mechanism of L-FABP-mediated LCFA transfer to PPARa. We will determine if LCFA transfers from L-FABP to PPARa by direct molecular interactions or by LCFA diffusion. These findings will contribute to our basic understanding of how different types of fatty acids may activate a nuclear receptor, and thereby induce transcription of genes directing their energy metabolism and storage. Differences in this nuclear receptor/fatty acid energy regulation could contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemic conditions.