Adiponectin and related C1q/TNF-related proteins bind selectively to anionic phospholipids and sphingolipids

Adiponectin (Acrp30) is an adipokine associated with protection from cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Although its effects are conventionally attributed to binding Adipor1/2 and T-cadherin, its abundance in circulation, role in ceramide metabolism, and homology to C1q suggest an overlooked role as a lipid-binding protein, possibly generalizable to other C1q/TNF-related proteins (CTRPs) and C1q family members. To investigate this, adiponectin, representative family members, and variants were expressed in Expi293 cells and tested for binding to lipids in liposomes using density centrifugation. Binding to physiological lipids were also analyzed using gradient ultracentrifugation, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and shotgun lipidomics. Interestingly, adiponectin selectively bound several anionic phospholipids and sphingolipids, including phosphatidylserine, ceramide-1-phosphate, glucosylceramide, and sulfatide, via the C1q domain in an oligomerization-dependent fashion. Binding to lipids was observed in liposomes, low-density lipoproteins, cell membranes, and plasma. Other CTRPs and C1q family members (Cbln1, CTRP1, CTRP5, and CTRP13) also bound similar lipids. These findings suggest that adiponectin and CTRPs function not only as hormones, but also as lipid opsonins, as may other C1q family proteins.