Cd36, also known as the scavenger receptor B2, is a multifunctional transmembrane glycoprotein. It plays a crucial role in the uptake of long-chain fatty acids, which are the main metabolic substrate in myocardial tissue. Cd36 is also involved in lipid sensing, transport, and regulation of lipid metabolism. It mediates various cellular functions such as immunological recognition, inflammation, molecular adhesion, and apoptosis. Post-translational modifications like phosphorylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation, and palmitoylation regulate its maturation and transportation [1,2,6].

In knockout (KO) models, Cd36 deficiency alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis, suggesting its key role in the progression of these cardiovascular diseases [1]. In the context of cancer, while Cd36 has been reported to both promote and inhibit cancer progression, its role in lipid uptake and immune response modulation in tumor-associated cells is significant [2,3,5]. In chronic kidney disease, antagonist blockade or genetic knockout of Cd36 in experimental models prevents kidney injury, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target [4].

In conclusion, Cd36 is a vital regulator of lipid metabolism and cellular functions. KO mouse models have been instrumental in revealing its role in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. These findings suggest that Cd36 could be a potential therapeutic target for treating these diseases [1,2,3,4,5].

References:

1. Shu, Hongyang, Peng, Yizhong, Hang, Weijian, Zhou, Ning, Wang, Dao Wen. . The role of CD36 in cardiovascular disease. In Cardiovascular research, 118, 115-129. doi:10.1093/cvr/cvaa319. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33210138/

2. Wang, Jingchun, Li, Yongsheng. 2019. CD36 tango in cancer: signaling pathways and functions. In Theranostics, 9, 4893-4908. doi:10.7150/thno.36037. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31410189/

3. Feng, William W, Zuppe, Hannah T, Kurokawa, Manabu. 2023. The Role of CD36 in Cancer Progression and Its Value as a Therapeutic Target. In Cells, 12, . doi:10.3390/cells12121605. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37371076/

4. Yang, Xiaochun, Okamura, Daryl M, Lu, Xifeng, Varghese, Zac, Ruan, Xiong Z. 2017. CD36 in chronic kidney disease: novel insights and therapeutic opportunities. In Nature reviews. Nephrology, 13, 769-781. doi:10.1038/nrneph.2017.126. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28919632/

5. Jiang, Muwei, Karsenberg, Renske, Bianchi, Frans, van den Bogaart, Geert. 2023. CD36 as a double-edged sword in cancer. In Immunology letters, 265, 7-15. doi:10.1016/j.imlet.2023.12.002. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38122906/

6. Yang, Yuxuan, Liu, Xiaokun, Yang, Di, Lu, Sen, Li, Ning. 2024. Interplay of CD36, autophagy, and lipid metabolism: insights into cancer progression. In Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 155, 155905. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2024.155905. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38548128/