Transport of fatty acids and monoacylglycerols in white and brown adipose tissues

Long chain fatty acids (FA) and 2-monoacylglycerols (MG) are produced by lipoprotein lipase (LPL) from plasma triacylglycerols (TG) in capillaries of adipose tissue and transported to adipocytes for TG synthesis. It is widely proposed FA may be transported in cells by FA-binding protein. Mode of transport of MG has received little attention. Our findings in tissues and model membranes indicate that FA (as 1:1 acid-soaps) and MG can be transported in vivo by lateral movement in an interfacial continuum (IFC) of the outer leaflets of plasma and intracellular membranes of capillary endothelium and adipocytes. We postulate that FA and MG enter the IFC in capillaries and flow in the IFC across endothelium and extracellular space to sites in adipocytes where MG are hydrolyzed by MG-lipase (MGL) to FA and glycerol, and FA are esterified in endoplasmic reticulum or transferred to inner mitochondrial membrane for oxidation. FA and MG produced by hormone-sensitive lipase also enter the IFC. These MG flow in the IFC to sites of MGL activity, and the FA flow in the IFC to capillaries for transport to other tissues by albumin, or to mitochondria for heat production.