Intracellular lipid binding proteins and nuclear receptors involved in branched-chain fatty acid signaling

Branched-chain fatty acids are potent regulators of gene expression. Among them are the vitamin A-derived retinoic acids, which are involved in cell growth and differentiation, and the chlorophyll-derived phytol metabolites such as phytanic and pristanic acids, which affect catabolic lipid metabolism. Gene expression regulated by these signaling molecules is mediated by two protein families. These are, on the one hand, the intracellular lipid binding proteins, i.e. cellular retinoic acid binding protein and liver-type fatty acid binding protein, which are responsible for ligand-transport to the nucleus. On the other hand are the ligand-activated nuclear receptors, i.e. the retinoic acid receptors for retinoic acids and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors for the phytol metabolites. In this review, we discuss the cross-talk between the two protein families and how this cross-talk contributes to targeted signaling with branched-chain fatty acids. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.