The peroxisomal proliferator clofibrate enhances the hepatic cytoplasmic movement of fatty acids in rats.

Abstract

The role of cytosolic fatty acid binding protein (FABP) in cellular fatty acid metabolism remains poorly defined. The intracellular movement of fatty acids is thought to be facilitated through codiffusion with FABP. Peroxisomal proliferators like clofibrate induce FABP and may stimulate fatty acid use by increasing cytoplasmic diffusion rates. Our aim was to determine if induction of FABP by clofibrate increases the cytoplasmic transport of a fluorescent fatty acid NBD-stearate. Male rats were fed clofibrate for 9 days to increase the hepatic concentration of FABP. Hepatocytes were isolated using collagenase perfusion. Cytosolic FABP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a specific antibody to hepatic FABP. Two-dimensional laser photobleaching (FRAP) was used to measure the cytoplasmic movement of NBD-stearate in hepatocytes. Cytoplasmic transport of NBD-stearate occurred by isotropic diffusion with no evidence for convective or directed transport. Treatment with clofibrate increased FABP levels, the fraction of NBD-stearate found in cytosol, and the observed cytoplasmic diffusion rate. The increase in cytoplasmic movement exceeded that predicted from FABP binding changes suggesting that clofibrate also enhances fatty acid diffusion within intracellular membranes. Nonspecific effects of clofibrate on cytoplasmic viscosity or pore size were not observed. These data suggest that clofibrate treatment induces cytosolic FABP and stimulates the intracellular movement of fatty acids by 2 distinct mechanisms. Soluble proteins like FABP promote the cytoplasmic transport of fatty acids by increasing diffusion. These data further support a role for intracellular binding proteins in facilitating the intracellular movements of fatty acids.