title: Molecular neurobiology of mTOR.
abstract: Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine-threonine kinase that controls several important aspects of mammalian cell function. mTOR activity is modulated by various intra- and extracellular factors; in turn, mTOR changes rates of translation, transcription, protein degradation, cell signaling, metabolism, and cytoskeleton dynamics. mTOR has been repeatedly shown to participate in neuronal development and the proper functioning of mature neurons. Changes in mTOR activity are often observed in nervous system diseases, including genetic diseases (e.g., tuberous sclerosis complex, Pten-related syndromes, neurofibromatosis, and Fragile X syndrome), epilepsy, brain tumors, and neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease). Neuroscientists only recently began deciphering the molecular processes that are downstream of mTOR that participate in proper function of the nervous system. As a result, we are gaining knowledge about the ways in which aberrant changes in mTOR activity lead to various nervous system diseases. In this review, we provide a comprehensive view of mTOR in the nervous system, with a special focus on the neuronal functions of mTOR (e.g., control of translation, transcription, and autophagy) that likely underlie the contribution of mTOR to nervous system diseases.
authors.affiliation: International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 4 Ks. Trojdena Street, Warsaw 02-109, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Switon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Children's Memorial Health Institute, Aleja Dzieci Polskich 20, Warsaw 04-730, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotulska
authors.affiliation: International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 4 Ks. Trojdena Street, Warsaw 02-109, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janusz-Kaminska
authors.affiliation: International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 4 Ks. Trojdena Street, Warsaw 02-109, Poland.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zmorzynska
authors.affiliation: International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 4 Ks. Trojdena Street, Warsaw 02-109, Poland. Electronic address: jaworski@iimcb.gov.pl.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jaworski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: CNS disease; mTOR; neuronal development; neuronal plasticity; rapamycin