Lipid Droplet-Derived Biomimetic Nanocarriers for the Enhancement of Porcine Intermuscular Fat Content

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is a critical factor influencing the quality and palatability of pork. However, established breeding and nutritional methods lead to systemic fat deposition. The efficient and specific methods to increase IMF content in livestock remain a challenge. In this study, Lipid droplets (LDs), an organelle in cells, are shown to be a controllable and biocompatible carrier that can be used to increase IMF content. This study demonstrated that isolated LDs stimulate lipid synthesis by encapsulating Oleic Acid (OA), a PPARγ ligand. Importantly, artificial LDs (aLDs) can effectively substitute isolated LDs. In vivo, investigations showed that OA-loading aLDs significantly increased the expression of lipid synthases such as DGAT2 and FASN through activation of PPARγ, a key pathway for lipid synthesis. Furthermore, the IMF content on the injected side is increased up to 35% with minimal side effects. The development of OA-aLDs promotes IMF deposition and demonstrates the significant potential of aLDs as drug carriers. The exploration of LDs-based carriers provides a new theoretical basis for their application in the medical field.