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Nicotinamide Riboside Restores Lipid Handling in Diabetic Heart Disease: Preclinical Findings
Synopsis
Excessive lipid droplet buildup and lipotoxicity contribute to diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). This study found that lipophagy—the autophagic breakdown of lipid droplets—is impaired in DCM due to reduced levels of SIRT3, a mitochondrial deacetylase. In cardiomyocytes, activating SIRT3 with nicotinamide riboside (NR) restored lipophagy and reduced palmitic-acid–induced lipotoxicity. In diabetic db/db mice, berberine improved cardiac function and reduced hypertrophy by enhancing SIRT3-dependent lipophagy. These results show that SIRT3 regulates cardiac lipid handling, and boosting SIRT3-mediated lipophagy—through agents like NR or berberine—may be an effective strategy for treating diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Journal
British Journal of Pharmacology