Lysophospholipase PNPLA7 is a critical checkpoint of phosphatidylcholine catabolism and turnover for skeletal muscle homeostasis.

PNPLA7 is essential for phosphatidylcholine turnover, with its deficiency causing muscle fiber thinning, mitochondrial abnormalities, and reduced endurance in mice.

• Why it matters: Understanding enzymes involved in phosphatidylcholine metabolism is crucial because disrupted PC turnover is linked to skeletal muscle dysfunction, yet the key enzyme remained unidentified.
• What they did: Researchers used genetic deletion models to show that PNPLA7 converts lysophosphatidylcholine to glycerophosphocholine, and its absence impairs this process, leading to altered muscle and lipid composition.
• The result: Loss of PNPLA7 results in muscle deterioration and mitochondrial defects, highlighting its critical role in maintaining skeletal muscle health and lipid homeostasis.