GPAT3 and GPAT4 are regulated by insulin-stimulated phosphorylation and play distinct roles in adipogenesis

Acyl-CoA:glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) catalyzes the first step during de novo synthesis of glycerolipids. Mammals have at least four GPAT isoforms. Here we report the further characterization of the two recently identified microsomal GPAT3 and GPAT4. Both enzymes are highly expressed in adipose tissues. However, while GPAT3 is highly (approximately 60-fold) induced during adipocyte differentiation, GPAT4 induction is only modest (approximately 5-fold), leading to a lower abundance of GPAT4 mRNA in adipocytes. While overexpression of GPAT3 and GPAT4 in either insect or mammalian cells results in a comparable increase of GPAT activity, shRNA-mediated knockdown of GPAT3, but not GPAT4, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes led to a significant decrease in GPAT activity, a profound inhibition of lipid accumulation, and a lack of expression of several adipogenic markers during adipocyte differentiation. These data suggest that GPAT3 may encode the major GPAT isoform in adipocytes and play an important role in adipogenesis. Furthermore, we have shown that both GPAT3 and GPAT4 are phosphorylated by insulin at Ser and Thr residues, leading to increased GPAT activity that is sensitive to wortmannin. Our results reveal a link between the lipogenic effects of insulin and microsomal GPAT3 and GPAT4, implying their importance in glycerolipid biosynthesis.