Abstract

Background: Lipid accumulation in the liver, skeletal and cardiac muscle, kidneys and pancreas causes cell dysfunction, death and inflammation, a biological phenomenon named lipotoxicity. Erythrocytes participate in the transport of lipids in the circulation, and their lipidome is determined by exchange with blood components.

Objective: The objective of this study is to summarize the current knowledge regarding the effect of toxic lipid accumulation in erythrocytes.

Results: Erythrocyte lipidome is altered in lipotoxic diseases, such as fatty liver disease, heart failure and diabetes. In addition, ceramide, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, palmitic acid and free cholesterol induce erythrocyte malfunction.

Conclusion: Erythrocytes are an additional cell target of lipotoxicity. Further exploration of the implicated molecular mechanisms could lead to novel therapeutic targets for cardiometabolic and hematological diseases.

Keywords: Erythrocytes, lipotoxicity, cardiometabolic diseases, lipid accumulation, oxidized phospholipids, atherosclerosis.

Graphical Abstract