Degradation of lipid droplet-associated proteins by chaperone-mediated autophagy facilitates lipolysis

Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) selectively degrades a subset of cytosolic proteins in lysosomes. A potent physiological activator of CMA is nutrient deprivation, a condition in which intracellular triglyceride stores or lipid droplets (LD) also undergo hydrolysis (lipolysis) to generate free fatty acids for energetic purposes. Here we report that LD-associated proteins perilipin 2 (PLIN2) and perilipin 3 (PLIN3) are CMA substrates and their degradation via CMA precedes lipolysis. In vivo studies revealed that CMA degradation of PLIN2 and PLIN3 was enhanced during starvation, concurrent with elevated levels of cytosolic adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and macroautophagy proteins on LD. CMA blockage both in cultured cells and mouse liver or expression of CMA-resistant PLINs lead to reduced association of ATGL and macrolipophagy-related proteins with LD and the subsequent decrease in lipid oxidation and accumulation of LD. We propose a role of CMA in LD biology and in the maintenance of lipid homeostasis.