J. G. McDonald

Genetic regulation and targeted reversal of lysosomal dysfunction and inflammatory sterol metabolism in pulmonary arterial hypertension

The paper identifies NCOA7's role in lysosomal function and inflammatory sterol metabolism in PAH, showing its deficiency exacerbates disease through oxysterol/bile acid generation.

Paraoxonase-like APMAP maintains endoplasmic reticulum-associated lipid and lipoprotein homeostasis

This paper identifies APMAP as an ER-localized antioxidant that maintains lipid and lipoprotein homeostasis, with loss of APMAP causing ER stress, lipid droplet accumulation, and altered lipoprotein maturation across multiple organisms.

A megaprotein brake for aging and insulin-mTOR signaling

This study identifies LPD-3 as a megaprotein that regulates insulin-mTOR signaling and aging in C. elegans by modulating sphingolipid and insulin pathways.

A concerted mechanism involving ACAT and SREBPs by which oxysterols deplete accessible cholesterol to restrict microbial infection

This paper identifies a mechanism by which oxysterols like 25HC deplete accessible cholesterol from plasma membranes via ACAT activation and SREBP suppression to restrict microbial infection.

A megaprotein-based molecular bridge critical for lipid trafficking and cold resilience

This paper identifies LPD-3 as a conserved megaprotein critical for lipid trafficking between ER and PM, essential for cold resilience in C. elegans and other species.

Snx14 proximity labeling reveals a role in saturated fatty acid metabolism and ER homeostasis defective in SCAR20 disease

This study identifies Snx14's role in maintaining lipid saturation and ER homeostasis, showing its deficiency leads to lipotoxicity and contributes to SCAR20 disease.

Vibrio deploys Type 2 secreted lipase to esterify cholesterol with host fatty acids and mediate cell egress

This study identifies VPA0226, a lipase secreted by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which esterifies cholesterol with host fatty acids to weaken the plasma membrane and enable bacterial egress from host cells.

Cell-specific discrimination of desmosterol and desmosterol mimetics confers selective regulation of LXR and SREBP pathways in macrophages

This study shows that desmosterol and its mimetics selectively activate LXR in macrophages without inducing SREBP1c-mediated hypertriglyceridemia, unlike conventional LXR agonists.