Abstract
Short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs and MCFAs), independently of their cellular signaling functions, are important substrates of the energy metabolism and anabolic processes in mammals. SCFAs are mostly generated by colonic bacteria and are predominantly metabolized by enterocytes and liver, whereas MCFAs arise mostly from dietary triglycerides, among them milk and dairy products. A common feature of SCFAs and MCFAs is their carnitine-independent uptake and intramitochondrial activation to acyl-CoA thioesters. Contrary to long-chain fatty acids, the cellular metabolism of SCFAs and MCFAs depends to a lesser extent on fatty acid-binding proteins. SCFAs and MCFAs modulate tissue metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids, as manifested by a mostly inhibitory effect on glycolysis and stimulation of lipogenesis or gluconeogenesis. SCFAs and MCFAs exert no or only weak protonophoric and lytic activities in mitochondria and do not significantly impair the electron transport in the respiratory chain. SCFAs and MCFAs modulate mitochondrial energy production by two mechanisms: they provide reducing equivalents to the respiratory chain and partly decrease efficacy of oxidative ATP synthesis.
Highlights
Short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs and mediumchain fatty acid (MCFA)), independently of their cellular signaling functions, are important substrates of the energy metabolism and anabolic processes in mammals
We want to concentrate on some peculiarities of the metabolic features of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) and MCFAs that differ from those of long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) and to sum up the current understanding of their role in cellular energy metabolism
Short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs and MCFAs), along with more abundant long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), are natural compounds present in both animal and plant tissues that participate in cell metabolism
Summary
SCFAs and MCFAs, being monocarboxylic acids with a hydrocarbon chain length of 1 to 12 total carbon atoms, are abundant in nature, they are present in plant and animal material at much smaller quantities than LCFAs [24, 25].
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