Fig. 2.

Cardiac fatty acid metabolism in health and in sepsis—a cardiac fatty acid oxidation in normal hearts: fatty acids are taken up by cardiomyocytes via CD36 or with the contribution of lipoprotein remnant receptors, such as VLDLr and LRP. Cardiomyocyte fatty acids can be stored in triglycerides or used for ATP production via β-oxidation in mitochondria. b During sepsis, CD36, lipoprotein lipase, and lipoprotein remnant receptors are downregulated, leading to increased fatty acid and triglyceride-carrying lipoprotein content in the circulation. In addition, cardiac β-oxidation is inhibited and mitochondrial number is reduced via mitophagy, resulting in intracellular accumulation of the unused fatty acids in triglycerides