Diminished mTOR signaling: a common mode of action for endocrine longevity factors

Since the initial observation that a calorie-restricted (CR) diet can extend rodent lifespan, many genetic and pharmaceutical interventions that also extend lifespan in mammals have been discovered. The mechanism by which CR and these other interventions extend lifespan is the subject of significant debate and research. One proposed mechanism is that CR promotes longevity by increasing insulin sensitivity, but recent findings that dissociate longevity and insulin sensitivity cast doubt on this hypothesis. These findings can be reconciled if longevity is promoted not via increased insulin sensitivity, but instead via decreased PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway signaling. This review presents a unifying hypothesis that explains the lifespan-extending effects of a variety of genetic mutations and pharmaceutical interventions and points towards new molecular pathways which may also be leveraged to promote healthy aging.