title: Recent Advances in Adipose mTOR Signaling and Function: Therapeutic Prospects.
abstract: The increasing epidemic of obesity and its comorbidities has spurred research interest in adipose biology and its regulatory functions. Recent studies have revealed that the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has a critical role in the regulation of adipose tissue function, including adipogenesis, lipid metabolism, thermogenesis, and adipokine synthesis and/or secretion. Given the importance of mTOR signaling in controlling energy homeostasis, it is not unexpected that deregulated mTOR signaling is associated with obesity and related metabolic disorders. In this review, we highlight current advances in understanding the roles of the mTOR signaling pathway in adipose tissue. We also provide a more nuanced view of how the mTOR signaling pathway regulates adipose tissue biology and function. Finally, we describe approaches to modulate the activity and tissue-specific function of mTOR that may pave the way towards counteracting obesity and related metabolic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Department of Pharmacology, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Departments of Cellular Structural Biology, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Lily Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Department of Pharmacology, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA. Electronic address: LiuF@uthscsa.edu.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: adipogenesis; adipokine; lipid metabolism; the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR); thermogenesis