title: Targeting mTOR as a novel therapeutic strategy for traumatic CNS injuries.
abstract: The adult central nervous system (CNS) has a remarkable ability to repair itself. However, severe brain and spinal cord injuries (SCIs) cause lasting disability and there are only a few therapies that can prevent or restore function in such cases. In this review, we provide an overview of traumatic CNS injuries and discuss several emerging pharmacological options that have shown promise in preclinical and early clinical studies. We highlight therapies that modulate mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, a pathway that is well known for its roles in cell growth, metabolism and cancer. Interestingly, this pathway is also gaining newfound attention for its role in CNS repair and regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Aruni S Arachchige
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Don
authors.forename: Chi Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Tatiana M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kazdoba
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Arcangelo
authors.forename: Wise
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: X F Steven
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C546842:MTOR protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases