Lipocalin 2 Deficiency Alters Prostaglandin Biosynthesis and mTOR Signaling Regulation of Thermogenesis and Lipid Metabolism in Adipocytes

Apart from a well-known role in the innate immune system, lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) has been recently characterized as a critical regulator of thermogenesis and lipid metabolism. However, the physiological mechanism through which Lcn2 regulates cellular metabolism and thermogenesis in adipocytes remains unknown. We found that Lcn2 expression and secretion are significantly upregulated by arachidonic acid (AA) and mTORC1 inhibition in differentiated inguinal adipocytes. AA-induced Lcn2 expression and secretion correlate with the inflammatory NFkB activation. Lcn2 deficiency leads to the upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) expression, as well as increased biosynthesis and secretion of prostaglandins (PGs), particularly PGE2 and PGD2, induced by AA in adipocytes. Furthermore, Lcn2 deficiency affects the mTOR signaling regulation of thermogenic gene expression, lipogenesis, and lipolysis. The loss of Lcn2 dismisses the effect of mTORC1 inhibition by rapamycin on COX2, thermogenesis genes, lipogenesis, and lipolysis, but has no impact on p70 S6Kinase-ULK1 activation in Lcn2-deficient adipocytes. We conclude that Lcn2 converges the COX2-PGE2 and mTOR signaling pathways in the regulation of thermogenesis and lipid metabolism in adipocytes.