CD36 Displays Features of a Lipid-Sensor Involved in Chylomicron Processing in the Rodent Small Intestine

International audience; The membrane glycoprotein CD36 binds nanomolar concentrations of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and is highly expressed on the luminal surface of enterocytes. CD36 deficiency reduces chylomicron production through unknown mechanisms.In this report, we provide novel insights into the potential underlying mechanisms. Our in vivo data demonstrated that CD36 gene deletion in mice did not affect LCFA uptake and their subsequent esterification into triglycerides by the intestinal mucosa at micellar LCFA concentrations prevailing in the intestine. In rodents, CD36 protein early disappeared from the luminal side of intestinal villi during the post-prandial period but only whe…