Lysosomal accumulation of unesterified (free) cholesterol, following the phagocytic incorporation of cholesteryl oleate lipid droplets, was quantitatively characterized in a murine J774 macrophage foam cell model. The induction of phagocytic incorporation by the macrophages, using an inverted culture technique, allowed the rapid delivery of large amounts of cholesteryl ester droplets to the lys...

Lipid droplets are the universal cellular organelles for the transient or long-term storage of lipids. The number, size and composition of lipid droplets vary greatly within cells in a homogenous population as well as in different cell types. The variability of intracellular lipid-storage organelles reflects the diversification of lipid droplet composition and function. Lipid droplet diversific...

The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-mediated lipid free radical overproduction exists in an insulin-resistant rat model and that reducing the accumulation of toxic metabolites is associated with improved insulin signaling and metabolic response. Lipid radical formation was detected by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy with...

in this study, cadmium (cd) accumulation was studied in an experimental aquatic exposure. mosquitofish (gambusia affinis) were acutely exposed for 96 h to a high concentration of cd (12 mg/l) and were chronically exposed to a low concentration of cd(0.4 mg/l) for 30 days. cd accumulation profiles differed between the two cd exposures. the cd concentation in g. affinis tissues increased linearly...

Aging is associated with increased vulnerability to inflammatory challenge. However, the effects of altered inflammatory response on the metabolic status of tissues or organs are not well documented. In this study, we present evidence demonstrating that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced upregulation of the inflammasome/IL-1β pathway is accompanied with an increased inflammatory response and abno...

Atherosclerotic lesions are characterized by lipid-loaded macrophages (foam cells) and hypoxic regions. Although it is well established that foam cells are produced by uptake of cholesterol from oxidized LDL, we previously showed that hypoxia also promotes foam cell formation even in the absence of exogenous lipids. The hypoxia-induced lipid accumulation results from increased triglyceride bios...