Endothelial Cell CD36 Optimizes Tissue Fatty Acid Uptake

Movement of circulating fatty acids (FAs) to parenchymal cells requires their transfer across the endothelial cell (EC) barrier. The multi-ligand receptor cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) facilitates tissue FA uptake and is expressed in ECs and parenchymal cells such as myocytes and adipocytes. Whether tissue uptake of FAs is dependent on EC or parenchymal cell CD36, or both, is unknown. Using a cell-specific deletion approach, we show that CD36-mediated FA transport across ECs rate-limits tissue FA uptake, and its loss leads to metabolic effects in parenchymal cells. We created Cd36 loxp mice and crossed Cd36 loxp mice with Tie2-cre and MHC-cre mice to generate endothelial cell and cardiomyocyte Cd36 knockout mice. Use these animal models to study the effect of endothelial cell Cd36 on the lipids and glucose metabolism.