dHNF4 regulates lipid homeostasis and oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.

The fly genome contains a single ortholog of the evolutionarily conserved transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4), a broadly and constitutively expressed member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Like its mammalian orthologs, Drosophila HNF4 (dHNF4) acts as a critical regulator of fatty acid and glucose homeostasis. Because of its role in energy storage and catabolism, the insect fat body controls non-autonomous organs including the ovaries, where lipid metabolism is essential for oogenesis.

Tissue-specific analysis of lipid species in during overnutrition by UHPLC-MS/MS and MALDI-MSI.

Diets high in calories can be used to model metabolic diseases, including obesity and its associated comorbidities, in animals. fed high-sugar diets (HSDs) exhibit complications of human obesity including hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, cardiomyopathy, increased susceptibility to infection, and reduced longevity. We hypothesize that lipid storage in the high-sugar-fed fly's fat body (FB) reaches a maximum capacity, resulting in the accumulation of toxic lipids in other tissues or lipotoxicity.

A Complex Relationship between Immunity and Metabolism in Drosophila Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance.

Both systemic insulin resistance and tissue-specific insulin resistance have been described in and are accompanied by many indicators of metabolic disease. The downstream mediators of insulin-resistant pathophysiology remain unclear. We analyzed insulin signaling in the fat body studying loss and gain of function.