Endothelium as a gatekeeper of fatty acid transport

• Endothelium is a key regulator of fatty acid transport.
• Endothelial fatty acid transport is regulated by a complex integration of signaling paradigms, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-B, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, and apelin.
• Further investigation of these endothelial based signaling pathways can identify potential adjunct therapeutic targets to treat diabetes.

The endothelium transcends all clinical disciplines and is crucial to the function of every organ system. A critical, but poorly understood, role of the endothelium is its ability to control the transport of energy supply according to organ needs. Fatty acids (FAs) in particular represent a key energy source that is utilized by a number of tissues, but utilization must be tightly regulated to avoid potentially deleterious consequences of excess accumulation, including insulin resistance. Recent studies have identified important endothelial signaling mechanisms, involving vascular endothelial growth factor-B, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and apelin, that mediate endothelial regulation of FA transport. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms by which these signaling pathways regulate this key endothelial function.