Alteration of endoplasmic reticulum lipid rafts contributes to lipotoxicity in pancreatic β-cells

Abstract

Background: Saturated fatty acids disrupt protein trafficking and promote endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in pancreatic β-cells. Results: Chronic palmitate selectively reduces ER sphingomyelin and cholesterol and disrupts ER lipid rafts. Conclusion: Altered ER lipid rafts contribute to defective ER protein export. Significance: This provides novel insights into the mechanisms of β-cell death that underlie type 2 diabetes. © 2013 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.