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mTOR Pathways in Cancer and Autophagy

Mathieu Paquette1,2, Leeanna El-Houjeiri3,4, Arnim Pause5,6

  • 1Goodman Cancer Research Center, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada. mathieu.paquette2@mail.mcgill.ca.

Cancers
|January 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase regulates cell growth and autophagy, impacting cancer cell fate. This review explores TOR signaling, autophagy connections, and TOR inhibitors for cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is a central regulator of cell growth, proliferation, and survival.
  • TOR signaling is intricately linked to cellular responses to nutrients, growth factors, and stress.
  • Dysregulation of TOR and autophagy pathways is implicated in various diseases, notably cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent cellular signaling pathways regulated by TOR.
  • To elucidate the interconnections between TOR signaling and autophagy.
  • To discuss the clinical implications of targeting TOR in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on TOR signaling.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms linking TOR and autophagy.
  • Examination of clinical data on TOR inhibitors in cancer.

Main Results:

  • TOR regulates key cellular processes including growth, metabolism, and autophagy.
  • Autophagy plays a complex role in cancer cell survival and death.
  • TOR inhibitors show promise as anti-cancer therapeutics by modulating these pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the TOR-autophagy axis is crucial for cancer biology.
  • Targeting TOR offers a potential therapeutic strategy for various cancers.
  • Further research is needed to fully delineate the complex interplay and optimize clinical applications.
Keywords:
autophagycancermTORsignaling

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