Direct control of mitochondrial function by mTOR

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 29;106(52):22229-32. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0912074106. Epub 2009 Dec 22.

Abstract

mTOR is a central regulator of cellular growth and metabolism. Using metabolic profiling and numerous small-molecule probes, we investigated whether mTOR affects immediate control over cellular metabolism by posttranslational mechanisms. Inhibiting the FKBP12/rapamycin-sensitive subset of mTOR functions in leukemic cells enhanced aerobic glycolysis and decreased uncoupled mitochondrial respiration within 25 min. mTOR is in a complex with the mitochondrial outer-membrane protein Bcl-xl and VDAC1. Bcl-xl, but not VDAC1, is a kinase substrate for mTOR in vitro, and mTOR regulates the association of Bcl-xl with mTOR. Inhibition of mTOR not only enhances aerobic glycolysis, but also induces a state of increased dependence on aerobic glycolysis in leukemic cells, as shown by the synergy between the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose and rapamycin in decreasing cell viability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aniline Compounds / pharmacology
  • Glycolysis / drug effects
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism*
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Metabolome
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Oxygen Consumption / drug effects
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1 / metabolism
  • bcl-X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Aniline Compounds
  • BCL2L1 protein, human
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Sulfonamides
  • VDAC1 protein, human
  • bcl-X Protein
  • Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Sirolimus
  • navitoclax