Identification and characterization of associated with lipid droplet protein 1: A novel membrane-associated protein that resides on hepatic lipid droplets.

Alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver steatosis and steatohepatitis are characterized by the massive accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) in the cytosol of hepatocytes. Although LDs are ubiquitous and dynamic organelles found in the cells of a wide range of organisms, little is known about the mechanisms and sites of LD biogenesis. To examine the participation of these organelles in the pathophysiological disorders of steatotic livers, we used a combination of mass spectrometry (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight and LC-MS electrospray) and Western blot analysis to study the composition of LDs purified from rat liver after a partial hepatectomy.

Caveolin-1 is essential for liver regeneration.

Liver regeneration is an orchestrated cellular response that coordinates cell activation, lipid metabolism, and cell division. We found that caveolin-1 gene-disrupted mice (cav1-/- mice) exhibited impaired liver regeneration and low survival after a partial hepatectomy. Hepatocytes showed dramatically reduced lipid droplet accumulation and did not advance through the cell division cycle.