Junctophilin-2-orchestrated calcium signalosome regulates brown adipocyte thermogenesis and energy metabolism

B Biyi Chen (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) J Jinxi Wang (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) Q Qingwen Qian (Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) G Guangqin Zhang (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) Y Yihui Wang (School of Life Sciences) M Mark Li (Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) R Rubin Tan (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) Z Zhuoying Yang (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) W Weiyang Zhao (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) G Grace Ciampa (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) D Daniela Sarahi Yang Bennett (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) Y Yixi Liu (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) Q Qi Zhu Z Zhiyong Zhu (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) S Sepiso K. Masenga (Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University) Z Zer Vue (Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University) H Han Le (Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University) Q Qian Shi L Leonid V. Zingman (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) A Antentor O. Hinton (Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University) D Duane D. Hall (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa) E E. Dale Abel L Ling Yang L Long-Sheng Song

Abstract

Dysfunctional adipocyte calcium handling is implicated in obesity and thermogenesis. Junctophilins (JPs) stabilize calcium microdomain junctions between the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum, but whether JPs are required for adipocyte function is not known. We show that JP2 is enriched in thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) relative to other fat depots and is downregulated under conditions of nutrient overload. Conditional knockdown of JP2 in adipocytes, and more selectively in BAT, exacerbates cold intolerance and susceptibility to diet induced obesity. Mechanistically, JP2-depleted brown adipocytes exhibit calcium handling dysfunction with elevated cytosolic calcium levels at baseline but diminished norepinephrine-induced calcium transients, reduced store-operated calcium entry. Basal cytosolic calcium overload accounts for an increase in calpain activation and ensuing downregulation of STIM1 and hormone-sensitive lipase in JP2-depleted cells. Furthermore, JP2 silencing in brown adipocytes reduced oxygen consumption rates and compromised mitochondrial structure and quality. Together, these findings demonstrate that JP2 is essential for normal calcium homeostasis in brown adipocytes and reveal a critical role for JP2 in thermogenesis and resistance to diet-induced metabolic dysregulation.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 123, Issue 27
Published July 07, 2026
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (24)

B

Biyi Chen

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

J

Jinxi Wang

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

Q

Qingwen Qian

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

G

Guangqin Zhang

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

Y

Yihui Wang

School of Life Sciences

M

Mark Li

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

R

Rubin Tan

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

Z

Zhuoying Yang

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

W

Weiyang Zhao

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

G

Grace Ciampa

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

D

Daniela Sarahi Yang Bennett

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

Y

Yixi Liu

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

Q

Qi Zhu

Z

Zhiyong Zhu

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

S

Sepiso K. Masenga

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University

Z

Zer Vue

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University

H

Han Le

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University

Q

Qian Shi

L

Leonid V. Zingman

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

A

Antentor O. Hinton

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University

D

Duane D. Hall

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

E

E. Dale Abel

L

Ling Yang

L

Long-Sheng Song