The Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Pathway Is a Central Regulator of Cell Growth (IMAGE)

Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO)

The Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Pathway Is a Central Regulator of Cell Growth

Caption

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is a central regulator of cell growth and metabolism. A variety of upstream signals regulate mTOR activity, including growth factors and nutrients. Chronic rapamycin treatment inhibits mTOR activity and leads to decrease cancer and ageing and increase survival in mice with normal telomeres. Mice with short telomeres present increased mTOR activity. Hyperactivation of this metabolic pathway as the consequence of short telomeres constitute a compensatory survival mechanism. In agreement with this, inhibition of the mTOR pathway is harmful for telomere deficient mice.

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CNIO

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