Review of role of mTOR in cancer and angiogenesis
(review)
- mTOR is an intracellular serine/threonine kinase that plays a central role in the control of cell growth and proliferation
- mTOR senses changes in availability of growth factors and/or energy sources, and induces synthesis of proteins necessary for angiogenesis, cell growth/survival and nutrient uptake
- proteins regulated by mTOR include cell cycle regulators (cyclin D1), amino acid and glucose transporters, proangiogenic factors (transcriptional regulators of VEGF and PDGF), and enzymes required for DNA repair
- the mTOR pathway is frequently activated in cancer cells as part of the process that leads to uncontrolled proliferation