Anabolic and catabolic signaling oppose one another in adipose tissue to maintain cellular and organismal homeostasis, but these pathways are often dysregulated in metabolic disorders. Although it has long been established that stimulation of the β-adrenergic receptor inhibits insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes, the mechanism has remained unclear. Here we report that β-adrenergic-mediated inhibition of glucose uptake requires lipolysis. We also show that lipolysis suppresses glucose uptake by inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes 1 and 2 through complex dissociation. In addition, we show that products of lipolysis inhibit mTOR through complex dissociation in vitro. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized intracellular signaling mechanism whereby lipolysis blocks the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt-mTOR pathway, resulting in decreased glucose uptake. This previously unidentified mechanism of mTOR regulation likely contributes to the development of insulin resistance.A dipose tissue plays an essential role in maintaining wholebody energy homeostasis by storing or releasing nutrients. This balance is controlled by opposing signaling pathways where anabolic processes are activated by insulin (INS) and catabolic actions are activated by catecholamines. An important unanswered question in adipose biology is how catecholamine-induced β-adrenergic signaling opposes insulin-stimulated glucose uptake (1-6). Surprisingly, the underlying mechanism for this wellestablished physiological response in adipocytes is still unknown.When nutrients are plentiful, insulin is released by the pancreas and stimulates the absorption of glucose and fatty acids in adipose tissue, where they are packaged and stored as triacylglycerol (TAG) in cellular lipid droplets. Insulin signaling in adipocytes is mediated by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mTOR pathway. mTOR is a highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that functions in either of two distinct multiprotein complexes, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). mTORC1 is defined primarily by the association of mTOR with raptor, whereas mTORC2 includes mTOR with rictor (7). Importantly, mTORC2 phosphorylation of Akt at S473 is required for Akt activity on AS160, which is necessary for glucose uptake in response to insulin (8-11). Of note, for both mTORC1 and mTORC2, the integrity of these protein complexes is essential for kinase substrate specificity and proper signaling (12, 13).During periods of fasting or stress, catecholamines are released by the sympathetic nervous system to activate lipolysis. Stimulation of the β-adrenergic receptor on adipocytes activates adenylyl cyclase (AC), leading to elevated cAMP and protein kinase A (PKA) activity. PKA initiates lipolysis by direct phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and perilipin (14-16) and indirect activation of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) (17-19). Lipolysis involves hydrolysis of TAG stored in the lipid droplet to produce diacylglycerol (DAG), mo...