Evidence mapPaperPMID 38844467Full record

ArticleNature communications2024

PNPLA3 is a triglyceride lipase that mobilizes polyunsaturated fatty acids to facilitate hepatic secretion of large-sized very low-density lipoprotein.

Scott M Johnson, Hanmei Bao, Cailin E McMahon, Yongbin Chen, Stephanie D Burr, Aaron M Anderson, Katja Madeyski-Bengtson, Daniel Lindén, Xianlin Han, Jun Liu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 56 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
56citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

56 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Impact of PNPLA3 I148M on Drug-Induced Hepatocellular Liver Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Autophagy in MASLD: A Metabolic and Precision Medicine Perspective.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2026
    Review
  4. The Implications of Lipoprotein(a) in MASLD.Current cardiology reports · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Ferroptosis: The Demise of Cells Through Phospholipid Peroxidation.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Lipidomic profiles associated with treatment related hepatotoxicity in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  20. Frontiers in nutrition · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Scott M JohnsonDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7912-349X
Hanmei BaoBarshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies and Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
Cailin E McMahonMolecular Biology and Genetics Department; Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Yongbin ChenDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9359-6525
Stephanie D BurrDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8832-8128
Aaron M AndersonDepartment of Developmental Biology; Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1797-5229
Katja Madeyski-BengtsonTranslational Genomics, Discovery Sciences; BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Daniel LindénBioscience Metabolism, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM); BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4158-8018
Xianlin HanBarshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies and Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8615-2413
Jun LiuDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. liu.jun@mayo.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3646-0004

Funding

TRANSGENIC COREP30AG013319 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · PI Xianlin Han · 1995 to 2026
$30.6M
Vanderbilt Diabetes Research CenterP30DK020593 · NIDDK · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI ALVIN C POWERS · 2012 to 2026
$29.3M
Inhibition of ATGL-Mediated Lipolysis by G0S2R01DK089178 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · PI LIU, JUN · 2010 to 2014
$1.7M
Regulation of Hepatic Lipid Accumulation and Insulin ResistanceR01DK109096 · NIDDK · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · PI LIU, JUN · 2016 to 2019
$1.5M
NIDDK Multidisciplinary Predoctoral Training in Discovery and Translational ResearchT32DK124190 · NIDDK · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · PI DANIEL D BILLADEAU, MARK A. MC NIVEN · 2020 to 2026
$1.3M
G0S2: a dual-function regulator of lipid and energy metabolismR56DK089178 · NIDDK · MAYO CLINIC ARIZONA · PI LIU, JUN · 2015 to 2015
$125k
NIA NIH HHS P30 AG013319NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK020593NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK089178NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK109096NIDDK NIH HHS R56 DK089178NIDDK NIH HHS T32 DK124190U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases) DK089178U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases) DK109096U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases) DK124190
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The I148M variant of PNPLA3 is closely associated with hepatic steatosis. Recent evidence indicates that the I148M mutant functions as an inhibitor of PNPLA2/ATGL-mediated lipolysis, leaving the role of wild-type PNPLA3 undefined. Despite showing a triglyceride hydrolase activity in vitro, PNPLA3 has yet to be established as a lipase in vivo. Here, we show that PNPLA3 preferentially hydrolyzes polyunsaturated triglycerides, mobilizing polyunsaturated fatty acids for phospholipid desaturation and enhancing hepatic secretion of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Under lipogenic conditions, mice with liver-specific knockout or acute knockdown of PNPLA3 exhibit aggravated liver steatosis and reduced plasma VLDL-triglyceride levels. Similarly, I148M-knockin mice show decreased hepatic triglyceride secretion during lipogenic stimulation. Our results highlight a specific context whereby the wild-type PNPLA3 facilitates the balance between hepatic triglyceride storage and secretion, and suggest the potential contribution of a loss-of-function by the I148M variant to the development of fatty liver disease in humans.

Indexed as

Fatty Acids, UnsaturatedLipaseLipoproteins, VLDLLiverMice, KnockoutTriglyceridesAcyltransferasesAnimalsFatty LiverHumansLipolysisMaleMembrane ProteinsMiceMice, Inbred C57BLPhospholipases A2, Calcium-IndependentAcyltransferasesFatty Acids, UnsaturatedLipaseLipoproteins, VLDLMembrane ProteinsPhospholipases A2, Calcium-IndependentPNPLA3 protein, humanPNPLA3 protein, mouseTriglyceridesvery low density lipoprotein triglyceride

Identifiers

PMID38844467
PMCPMC11156938

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.