Carnitine palmitoyl transferase activity

The steps in the subsequent utilization of muscle LCFAs may be summarized as follows. The free fatty acids, liberated from triglycerides by a neutral triglyceride lipase, are activated to form acyl CoAs by the mediation of LCFAcyl-CoA synthetase which is situated on the outer mitochondrial membrane. The next step involves carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT I, see Figure 9) which is also located on the outer mitochondrial membrane and catalyzes the transfer of LCFAcyl residues from CoA to carnitine (y-trimethyl-amino-P-hydroxybutyrate). LCFAcyl... 

In animals, the production of CO2 from [ Cjpalmitate or octanoate is not consistendy affected by riboflavin deficiency, possibly as a result of increased activity of carnitine palmitoyl transferase, which is more a response to food deprivation than to riboflavin deficiency. However, the production of C02 from [ C] adipic acid is significandy reduced, and responds rapidly (with some overshoot) to repletion with the vitamin. It has been suggested that the abiUty to metabolize a test dose of [ Cjadipic acid may provide a sensitive means of investigating ribodavin nutritional status in human beings (Bates, 1989, 1990). 

Fatty acids are activated on the outer mitochondrial membrane, whereas they are oxidized in the mitochondrial matrix. A special transport mechanism is needed to carry long-chain acyl CoA molecules across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Activated long-chain fatty acids are transported across the membrane by conjugating them to carnitine, a zwitterionic alcohol. The acyl group is transferred from the sulfur atom of CoA to the hydroxyl group of carnitine to form acyl carnitine. This reaction is catalyzed by carnitine acyltransferase I (also called carnitine palmitoyl transferase I), which is bound to the outer mitochondrial membrane. 

This hepatomegaly is correlated to PPARa activation of acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX), the first enzyme of peroxisomal /3-oxidation of fatty acids and a gene with a PPRE in its promoter region14. In addition, hepatic mitochondrial /3-oxidation and microsomal w-oxidation of fatty acids are increased, as a direct result of PPARa activation of mRNA of specific enzymes associated with these pathways (carnitine palmitoyl transferase I and cytochrome P4504A, respectively). Activation of fatty acid oxidation by these three pathways would lead to enhanced fatty acid oxidation, given the appropriate substrate. PPARa has also been shown to enhance delivery of fatty acids to the oxidizing systems (Fig. 3). 

ACC-2 produces malonyl CoA, which inhibits carnitine palmitoyl transferase I, thereby blocking fatty acid entry into the mitochondria. Muscle also contains malonyl CoA decarboxylase, which catalyzes the conversion of malonyl CoA to acetyl CoA and carbon dioxide. Thus, both the synthesis and degradation of malonyl CoA is carefully regulated in muscle cells to balance glucose and fatty acid oxidation. Both allosteric and covalent means of regulation are employed. Citrate activates ACC-2, and phosphorylation of ACC-2 by the adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase inhibits ACC-2 activity. Phosphorylation of malonyl CoA decarboxylase by the AMP-activated protein kinase activates the enzyme, further enhancing fatty acid oxidation when energy levels are low. 

Fatty acid uptake by muscle requires the participation of fatty acid-binding proteins and the usual enzymes of fatty acid oxidation. Fatty acyl-CoA uptake into the mitochondria is controlled by malonyl-CoA, which is produced by an isozyme of acetyl-coA carboxylase (ACC-2 the ACC-1 isozyme is found in liver and adipose tissue and is used for fatty acid biosynthesis). ACC-2 is inhibited by phosphorylation by the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMP-PK) such that when energy levels are low the levels of malonyl CoA will drop, allowing fatty acid oxidation by the mitochondria. In addition, muscle cells also contain the enzyme malonyl CoA decarboxylase, which is activated by phosphorylation by the AMP-PK. Malonyl CoA decarboxylase converts malonyl CoA to acetyl CoA, thereby relieving the inhibition of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT-I) and stimulating fatty acid oxidation (Fig. 47.5). Muscle cells do not synthesize fatty acids the presence of acetyl CoA carboxylase in muscle is exclusively for regulatory purposes. 

Fatty acid uptake into cardiac muscle is similar to that for other muscle cell types and requires fatty acid-binding proteins and carnitine palmitoyl transferase I for transfer into the mitochondria. Fatty acid oxidation in cardiac muscle cells is regulated by altering the activities of ACC-2 and malonyl CoA decarboxylase. 

Acetate is an excellent fuel for skeletal muscle. It is treated by the muscle as a very-short-chain fatty acid. It is activated to acetyl CoA in the cytosol and then transferred into the mitochondria via acetylcamitine transferase, an isozyme of carnitine palmitoyl transferase. Sources of acetate include the diet (vinegar is acetic acid) and acetate produced in the liver from alcohol metabolism. Certain commercial power bars for athletes contain acetate. 

Acylcarnitines are essential compounds for the metabolism of fatty acids and represent intermediates of mitochondrial fatty acid p-oxidation. In this process, fatty acids are first activated to form acyl CoAs in the cytosol of cells (see Section 11.3), then the acyl moieties are transferred to carnitine by carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT-I), which is located at the outer mitochondrial membrane. The formed acylcarnitines are largely and selectively transported into the mitochondria for fatty acid p-oxidation to generate ATP through coordinating activities of CPT-I and CPT-II. The latter is located at the inner mitochondrial membrane and converts acylcarnitines back to acyl CoAs. 

Tissues that oxidize fatty acids but do not synthesize them, such as muscle, also have acetyl CoA carboxylase and produce malonyl CoA. This seems to be in order to control the activity of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I, and thus control the mitochondrial uptake and (3-oxidation of fatty acids. Tissues also have malonyl CoA decarboxylase, which acts to remove malonyl CoA and so reduce the inhibition of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I. The two enzymes are regulated in opposite directions in response to ... 

As shown in Figure 5.28, the first reaction in the synthesis of fatty acids is carboxylation of acetyl CoA to malonyl CoA. This is a biotin-dependent reaction (section 11.12.2) and, as discussed above (section 5.5.1), the activity of acetyl CoA carboxylase is regulated in response to insulin and glucagon. Malonyl CoA is not only the substrate for fatty acid synthesis, but also a potent inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyl transferase, so inhibiting the uptake of fatty acids into the mitochondrion for P-oxidation. 

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