title: mTOR inhibitors in cancer therapy.
abstract: The mammalian target of rapamycin, mTOR, plays key roles in cell growth and proliferation, acting at the catalytic subunit of two protein kinase complexes: mTOR complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1/2). mTORC1 signaling is switched on by several oncogenic signaling pathways and is accordingly hyperactive in the majority of cancers. Inhibiting mTORC1 signaling has therefore attracted great attention as an anti-cancer therapy. However, progress in using inhibitors of mTOR signaling as therapeutic agents in oncology has been limited by a number of factors, including the fact that the classic mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, inhibits only some of the effects of mTOR; the existence of several feedback loops; and the crucial importance of mTOR in normal physiology.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, South Australian Health and Medical research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Jianling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, South Australian Health and Medical research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Xuemin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, South Australian Health and Medical research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Proud
keywords: cancer therapy; mTOR; mTOR inhibitors; rapamycin