Mitochondria-ER-lipid droplet crosstalk regulates metabolic adaptation to shear stress via VMP1.

Shear stress induces mitochondrial remodeling and enhances lipid transfer via ER-LD-mitochondria contact sites in kidney epithelial cells, with VMP1 being essential for adaptation.

• Why it matters: Understanding how kidney cells adapt to urinary flow is crucial for insights into renal physiology and potential kidney diseases, yet the mechanisms of metabolic remodeling under shear stress are not well known.
• What they did: The study used in vitro and zebrafish models to analyze mitochondrial shape changes, MERC stabilization, and lipid transfer, employing split-TurboID proximity labeling and mass spectrometry to identify molecular interactions.
• The result: Findings reveal that ER-LD-mitochondria contact sites facilitate lipid transfer and mitochondrial remodeling during shear stress, with VMP1 depletion impairing these processes and hindering metabolic adaptation.