JB Minireview—Lipid Signaling J. Biochem. 132, 13-22 (2002) Nuclear Lipid Metabolism and Signaling

Evidence has been accumulating that nuclear lipid metabolism is involved in the regula-tion of nuclear functions. Here I describe an autonomous nuclear lipid signaling that has been found to be associated with the metabolism of such lipids as phosphoinositi-des, choline phospholipids, and the acylation and deacylation cycle. Some lipid signals from the plasma membrane ultimately reach the nucleus and regulate the nuclear func-tion. In this case, however, generated lipids and their metabolites may not directly act on the nuclear factors involved in nuclear function. The unique and direct effects of nuclear lipids and their metaboh'tes on nuclear factors are also discussed. Key words: nucleus, phospholipase Ag, phospholipase C, phospholipase D, sphingomyeli-nase. The generally accepted model of lipid signaling involves the generation of bioactive lipid metabolites in response to stimuli in a receptor-directed manner at the plasma mem-brane. These metabolites activate signaling cascades that are connected to the genes in nucleus. In recent years, how