mTOR pathway: A current, up-to-date mini-review (Review)

Zarogoulidis,Paul; Lampaki,Sofia; Turner,J.   Francis; Huang,Haidong; Kakolyris,Stylianos; Syrigos,Konstantinos; Zarogoulidis,Konstantinos

doi:10.3892/ol.2014.2608

mTOR pathway: A current, up-to-date mini-review (Review)

Authors:
- Paul Zarogoulidis
- Sofia Lampaki
- J. Francis Turner
- Haidong Huang
- Stylianos Kakolyris
- Konstantinos Syrigos
- Konstantinos Zarogoulidis
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Affiliations: Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, G. Papanikolaou General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 57010, Greece, Interventional Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Western Regional Medical Center, Goodyear, Arizona 85338, USA, Department of Respiratory Diseases Shanghai Hospital, Second Military University Hospital, Shanghai 210000, P.R. China, Oncology Department, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece, Oncology Department, Sotiria General Hospital, University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
Published online on: October 10, 2014 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2014.2608
Pages: 2367-2370

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Abstract

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a protein serine/threonine kinase that was initially identified as the cellular target of rapamycin. This kinase regulates cell growth, proliferation, motility and survival, as well as the gene transcription and protein synthesis that are activated in response to hormones, growth factors and nutrients. Results from preclinical studies have indicated that factors antagonizing the mTOR pathway exert an antitumor effect on lung cancer. Furthermore, primary clinical trials of mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated that the inhibitors may be effective against lung carcinoma. The present study explores the association between mTOR and lung carcinogenesis and describes the clinical trials of mTOR inhibitors.

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