The emerging role of the mitochondrial fatty-acid synthase (mtFASII) in the regulation of energy metabolism

Malonyl-CoA synthetase (ACSF3) catalyzes the first step of the mitochondrial fatty acid biosynthesis (mtFASII). Mutations in ACSF3 cause CMAMMA a rare inborn error of metabolism. The clinical phenotype is very heterogeneous, with some patients presenting with neurologic manifestations. In some children, presenting symptoms such as coma, ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia are suggestive of an intermediary metabolic disorder. The overall pathophysiological mechanisms are not understood. In order to study the role of mtFASII in the regulation of energy metabolism we performed a comprehensive metabolic phenotyping with Seahorse technology proteomics in fibroblasts from healthy controls and ACSF3 patients. SILAC-based proteomics and lipidomic analysis were performed to investigate the effects of hypofunctional mtFASII on proteome and lipid homeostasis of complex lipids. Our data clearly confirmed an impaired mitochondrial flexibility characterized by reduced mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic flux due to a lower lipoylation degree. These findings were accompanied by the adaptational upregulation of beta-oxidation and by the reduction of anaplerotic amino acids as compensatory mechanism to address the required energy need. Finally, lipidomic analysis demonstrated that the content of the bioactive lipids sphingomyelins and cardiolipins was strongly increased. Our data clearly demonstrate the role of mtFASII in metabolic regulation. Moreover, we show that mtFASII acts as mediator in the lipid-mediated signaling processes in the regulation of energy homeostasis and metabolic flexbility.