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, acting as a critical fatty acid sensor and regulator of lipid metabolism [1,2,5]. Cd36 is involved in pathways related to lipid accumulation, inflammatory signaling, and energy reprogramming. It is widely expressed in various organs, and its post-translational modifications like phosphorylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation, and palmitoylation regulate its maturation and transportation [1]. Genetic models, such as gene knockout (KO) mouse models, are valuable for studying Cd36's functions.

In KO mouse models, Cd36 deficiency alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis [1]. This indicates that Cd36 is closely associated with the progression of these cardiovascular diseases. In cancer, CD36 has a complex role. Its over-expression in some cancer cells promotes metastasis and therapy resistance by enhancing lipid uptake and fatty acid oxidation, while its binding to thrombospondin-1 can attenuate angiogenesis [3]. In chronic kidney disease, antagonist blockade or genetic knockout of Cd36 prevents kidney injury, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target [4].

In conclusion, Cd36 is essential for lipid metabolism and is involved in multiple disease conditions. The use of Cd36 KO mouse models has revealed its significant role in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. These findings highlight Cd36 as a potential therapeutic target in these disease areas, facilitating a better understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms and potential treatment strategies.

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. Li, Yunxia, Huang, Xingguo, Yang, Guan, Brecchia, Gabriele, Yin, Jie. 2022. CD36 favours fat sensing and transport to govern lipid metabolism. In Progress in lipid research, 88, 101193. doi:10.1016/j.plipres.2022.101193. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36055468/

3. 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/

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. Pepino, Marta Yanina, Kuda, Ondrej, Samovski, Dmitri, Abumrad, Nada A. 2014. Structure-function of CD36 and importance of fatty acid signal transduction in fat metabolism. In Annual review of nutrition, 34, 281-303. doi:10.1146/annurev-nutr-071812-161220. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24850384/