Decoding the Lipid Droplet Proteome: New Frontiers in Cardiovascular Disease Research

Lipid droplets (LDs) are cellular dynamic organelles involved in lipid storage and maintaining lipid balance. They contain many proteins on their surface that significantly affect their functions and behaviors. Thus, it becomes crucial to characterize the LD proteome using appropriate "omics" technologies that may contribute to an accurate understanding of the LD roles in human diseases. Indeed, LDs and their associated proteins are involved in several pathologies related to dysfunctional lipid metabolism, such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This review aims to provide an overview of "omics" studies focused on characterizing the LD proteome in the cardiovascular field, offering additional insight into the involvement of LDs in the development and progression of heart complications, as well as defining potential targets useful for diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic approaches for patients.