{
  "abstract": "Lipid droplet (LD) size is a key determinant of hepatic lipid metabolism, yet the molecular programming routing size-defined subpopulations to distinct fates remains unclear. Here we show that a fractionation workflow resolves hepatic LDs by size and organelle association, defining a high-confidence intrinsic LD proteome. Moreover, comparative proteomics of fasted livers reveals a clear ‘division of labor’: Large LDs (L-LDs) function as specialized mitochondrion-coupled ‘putative fueling hubs’, whereas small LDs (S-LDs) serve as lysosome-coupled ‘putative trafficking and turnover hubs’. This interaction map is highly plastic; metabolic stress (fasting or steatosis) triggers a programmatic remodeling where lysosomal machinery is inducibly recruited to S-LDs. Crucially, in vivo stress recruits mitochondria to both pools, supporting a ‘parallel programs’ model where S-LD-associated mitochondria are hypothesized to power the energy-intensive degradative machinery. These findings establish that metabolic state leverages LD size to direct organelle partnerships, nominating the small-LD lysosomal axis as a critical regulatory node in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Qiumin Liao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiaochuan Fu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yang Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yilu Xu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zhen Cao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yusong Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bin Pan",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-7515-0079"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jifeng Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Pingsheng Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zhiyun Yang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1522-0749"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shuyan Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4092-6516"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7bhp7jrt37vy5.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s42003-026-11185-w",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "7bhp7jrt37vy5",
  "issns": [
    "2399-3642"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-11185-w",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1303|Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222890088",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-11185-w_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-18",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7bhp7jrt37vy5.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:50Z",
      "native_id": "10.1038/s42003-026-11185-w",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-11185-w"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1303|Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis",
      "subfield": "enzymology-metabolism"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Organelle associations and metabolic rewiring of size-defined hepatic lipid droplets",
  "title_text": "Organelle associations and metabolic rewiring of size-defined hepatic lipid droplets",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:50Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7bhp7jrt37vy5",
  "venue": "Communications Biology",
  "versions": []
}