FSP1-mediated lipid droplet quality control prevents neutral lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Mike Lange - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Michele Wölk - , Center of Membrane Biochemistry and Lipid Research (Author)
  • Vivian Wen Li - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Cody E Doubravsky - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Joseph M Hendricks - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Shunji Kato - , Tohoku University (Author)
  • Yurika Otoki - , Tohoku University (Author)
  • Benjamin Styler - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Sean L Johnson - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Cynthia A Harris - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • Kiyotaka Nakagawa - , Tohoku University (Author)
  • Isabel F Snodgrass - , University of California at Davis (Author)
  • Dohee Kim - , United States Department of Agriculture (Author)
  • John W Newman - , University of California at Davis (Author)
  • Maria Fedorova - , Center of Membrane Biochemistry and Lipid Research (Author)
  • James A Olzmann - , University of California at Berkeley (Author)

Abstract

Lipid droplets (LDs) are organelles that store and supply lipids, based on cellular needs. Although mechanisms preventing oxidative damage to membrane phospholipids are established, the vulnerability of LD neutral lipids to peroxidation and protective mechanisms are unknown. Here we identify LD-localized ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) as a critical regulator that prevents neutral lipid peroxidation by recycling coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to its lipophilic antioxidant form. Lipidomics reveal that FSP1 loss leads to the accumulation of oxidized triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters, and biochemical reconstitution of FSP1 with CoQ10 and NADH suppresses triacylglycerol peroxidation in vitro. Notably, inducing polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich LDs triggers triacylglycerol peroxidation and LD-initiated ferroptosis when FSP1 activity is impaired. These findings uncover the first LD lipid quality-control pathway, wherein LD-localized FSP1 maintains neutral lipid integrity to prevent the build-up of oxidized lipids and induction of ferroptosis.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1902-1913
Number of pages12
JournalNature cell biology
Volume27
Issue number11
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC12611765
Scopus 105020079179
ORCID /0000-0002-4692-3885/work/200630951
ORCID /0000-0001-5558-4582/work/200631298

Keywords

Keywords

  • Ferroptosis, Lipid Peroxidation, Humans, Lipid Droplets/metabolism, Animals, Triglycerides/metabolism, Ubiquinone/metabolism, Oxidation-Reduction, Mice, Lipidomics