Lipid Droplet-Anchored Mitochondria Are More Sensitive to Cold in Brown Adipocytes

Abstract

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) are specialized for uncoupled heat production through mitochondria fueled majorly from fatty acids (FA) of lipid droplets (LDs). How the interaction between the two organelles contributes the generation of heat remains elusive. Here we report that LD-anchored mitochondria (LDAM) were observed in BAT of mice raised at three different temperatures, 30{degrees}C, 23{degrees}C, and 6{degrees}C. The biochemical analyses including Western blotting and electron transport chain subunits showed that LDAM were functional at given temperatures. Comparative proteomics analysis was conducted and revealed that these LDAM had protein level differences from cytoplasmic mitochondria (CM) at different temperatures. Higher expressions of proteins at low temperature were observed for i) FA {beta}-oxidation in LDAM including FA synthesis, and uncoupling, ii) pseudo-futile cycle in CM, and iii) two shuttle systems; glycerol 3-phosphate in both CM and LDAM, and citrate malate in CM. Together, these results suggest that LDs and LDAM are a preorganized and functional organelle complex that permits the rapid response to cold environment.