mTOR signaling in lymphangioleiomyomatosis.
The protein mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a central role in cell growth and proliferation. Excessive mTOR activity is a prominent feature of many neoplasms and hamartoma syndromes, including lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a destructive lung disease that causes progressive respiratory failure in women. Although pharmacological inhibitors of mTOR should directly target the pathogenesis of these disorders, their clinical efficacy has been suboptimal. Recent scientific findings reviewed here have greatly improved our understanding of mTOR signaling mechanisms, provided new insights into the control of cell growth and proliferation, and facilitated the development of new therapeutic approaches in LAM, as well as other neoplastic disorders that exhibit excessive mTOR activity.
Critical Care and Respiratory Divisions and Meakins-Christie Laboratories, McGill University Health Centre, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. arnold.kristof@mcgill.ca
Arnold S
AS
Kristof
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018192:Lymphangioleiomyomatosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases