Long-chain fatty acid transport system (FATP/CD36)

The long-chain fatty acid transport system is a coordinated network of membrane proteins that facilitate the movement of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) across cellular and organelle membranes. In humans, the system primarily comprises the fatty acid transport protein (FATP) family (SLC27A1-6), the scavenger receptor CD36 (also known as fatty acid translocase), and the plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (FABPpm) (1.2.1, 1.5.1, 1.5.4). These proteins are essential for the uptake of dietary and circulating LCFAs, which serve as vital energy sources, structural components of membranes, and precursors for signaling molecules (1.2.2, 1.5.2). The transport process is often coupled with the activation of fatty acids into acyl-CoA esters, a mechanism known as vectorial acylation, which prevents the efflux of fatty acids and maintains a concentration gradient for continued uptake (1.5.1, 2.2.5). Dysregulation of this transport system is a hallmark of various metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), where excessive fatty acid uptake leads to lipotoxicity and insulin resistance in tissues like the liver, muscle, and heart (1.3.1, 2.2.1, 2.2.3). Additionally, the system plays a significant role in cancer progression, particularly through CD36-mediated fatty acid uptake, which supports the metabolic demands of tumor growth and metastasis (2.1.1, 2.1.4). Therapeutic strategies targeting the long-chain fatty acid transport system include small molecule inhibitors of specific FATP isoforms and CD36-neutralizing antibodies, aimed at reducing ectopic lipid accumulation and inhibiting cancer cell migration (2.1.3, 2.2.1, 2.2.4).

Other names

Fatty acid transport protein (FATP)Solute carrier family 27 (SLC27)Fatty acid translocase (FAT)CD36Plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (FABPpm)Carnitine palmitoyltransferase systemLong-chain fatty acid uptake system