Lipocalins are a family of secreted adipokines which play important roles in various biological processes. Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) has been shown to be involved in acute and chronic inflammation. This particular protein is critical in the pathogenesis of several diseases including cancer, diabetes, obesity, and multiple sclerosis. Herein, we discuss the general molecular basis for the involvement of LCN-2 in acute infections and chronic disease progression and also ascertain the probable role of LCN-2 in ocular diseases, particularly in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We elaborate on the signaling cascades which trigger LCN-2 upregulation in AMD and suggest therapeutic strategies for targeting such pathways.

中文翻译：

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lipocalin-2在与年龄有关的黄斑变性（AMD）中的作用。

脂蛋白是分泌性脂肪因子家族，在各种生物过程中起重要作用。Lipocalin-2（LCN-2）已显示参与急性和慢性炎症。这种特殊的蛋白质在包括癌症，糖尿病，肥胖症和多发性硬化症在内的几种疾病的发病机理中至关重要。本文中，我们讨论了LCN-2参与急性感染和慢性疾病进展的一般分子基础，并且还确定了LCN-2在眼部疾病，特别是与年龄相关的黄斑变性（AMD）中的可能作用。我们详细介绍了在AMD中触发LCN-2上调的信号级联反应，并提出了针对此类途径的治疗策略。