Local catecholamine catabolism blunts lipolysis in ageing adipose tissue

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Catecholamine-induced lipolysis is one of the defining functions of white adipose tissue. In response to fasting, cold exposure or other energetic demands, sympathetic signals stimulate adipocytes to hydrolyse stored triacylglycerols and release fatty acids. This process enables organisms to mobilize stored energy when nutrient availability or environmental conditions change. However, this response declines with age.

Despite the physiological importance of this decline, its underlying mechanisms had remained surprisingly unclear. Much of the adipose tissue literature had focused on obesity-associated inflammation, insulin resistance, cold-induced thermogenesis and beige adipocyte recruitment. These areas transformed our understanding of adipose tissue biology, but they left ageing-associated adrenergic resistance underexplored. This gap is especially relevant for older adults, in whom impaired lipid mobilization could contribute to reduced metabolic flexibility, altered fuel availability during illness or fasting, impaired cold tolerance and ectopic lipid accumulation.