mTOR in aging, metabolism, and cancer

Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2013 Feb;23(1):53-62. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2012.12.005. Epub 2013 Jan 11.

Abstract

The target of rapamycin (TOR) is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase that is part of two structurally and functionally distinct complexes, TORC1 and TORC2. In multicellular organisms, TOR regulates cell growth and metabolism in response to nutrients, growth factors and cellular energy. Deregulation of TOR signaling alters whole body metabolism and causes age-related disease. This review describes the most recent advances in TOR signaling with a particular focus on mammalian TOR (mTOR) in metabolic tissues vis-a-vis aging, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / genetics*
  • Aging / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2
  • Multiprotein Complexes / genetics
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Obesity / genetics
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Sirolimus