No turnover in lens lipids for the entire human lifespan.

Jessica R Hughes,Alan Williams,Stephen J Blanksby,Todd W Mitchell,Vladimir A Levchenko,Roger Jw Truscott

doi:10.7554/elife.06003

Abstract

Lipids are critical to cellular function and it is generally accepted that lipid turnover is rapid and dysregulation in turnover results in disease (Dawidowicz 1987; Phillips et al., 2009; Liu et al., 2013). In this study, we present an intriguing counter-example by demonstrating that in the center of the human ocular lens, there is no lipid turnover in fiber cells during the entire human lifespan. This discovery, combined with prior demonstration of pronounced changes in the lens lipid composition over a lifetime (Hughes et al., 2012), suggests that some lipid classes break down in the body over several decades, whereas others are stable. Such substantial changes in lens cell membranes may play a role in the genesis of age-related eye disorders. Whether long-lived lipids are present in other tissues is not yet known, but this may prove to be important in understanding the development of age-related diseases.

Highlights

The membrane lipid composition of most tissues is dynamic and alters within days in response to diet (Katan et al, 1997; Owen et al, 2004) and weeks in response to exercise (Mitchell et al, 2004)
Lipids are critical to cellular function and it is generally accepted that lipid turnover is rapid and dysregulation in turnover results in disease (Dawidowicz 1987; Phillips et al, 2009; Liu et al, 2013)
We present an intriguing counter-example by demonstrating that in the center of the human ocular lens, there is no lipid turnover in fiber cells during the entire human lifespan

Summary

Introduction

The membrane lipid composition of most tissues is dynamic and alters within days in response to diet (Katan et al, 1997; Owen et al, 2004) and weeks in response to exercise (Mitchell et al, 2004). Whether long-lived lipids are present in other tissues is not yet known, but this may prove to be important in understanding the development of age-related diseases.

Results

Conclusion