Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P42345 (mTOR)
 26,049 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

CLIP-170/Restin belongs to a family of conserved microtubule (MT)-associated proteins, which are important for MT organization and functions. CLIP-170 is a phosphoprotein and phosphorylation is thought to regulate the binding of CLIP-170 to MTs. However, little is known about the kinase(s) involved. In this study, we show that FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP, also called mTOR/RAFT) interacts with CLIP-170. CLIP-170 is phosphorylated in vivo at multiple sites, including rapamycin-sensitive and -insensitive sites, and is phosphorylated by FRAP in vitro at the rapamycin-sensitive sites. In addition, rapamycin inhibited the ability of CLIP-170 to bind to MTs. Our observations suggest that multiple CLIP-170 kinases are involved in positive and negative control of CLIP-170, and FRAP is a CLIP-170 kinase positively regulating the MT-binding behavior of CLIP-170.
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PMID:The FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP) is a CLIP-170 kinase. 1223 10

Originally discovered as an anti-fungal agent, the bacterial macrolide rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressant and a promising anti-cancer drug. In complex with its cellular receptor, the FK506-binding protein (FKBP12), rapamycin binds and inhibits the function of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). By mediating amino acid sufficiency, mTOR governs signaling to translational regulation and other cellular functions by converging with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway on downstream effectors. Whether mTOR receives mitogenic signals in addition to nutrient-sensing has been an unresolved issue, and the mechanism of action of rapamycin remained unknown. Our recent findings have revealed a novel link between mitogenic signals and mTOR via the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid (PA), and suggested a role for mTOR in the integration of nutrient and mitogen signals. A molecular mechanism for rapamycin inhibition of mTOR signaling is proposed, in which a putative interaction between PA and mTOR is abolished by rapamycin binding. Collective evidence further implicates the regulation of the rapamycin-sensitive signaling circuitry by phospholipase D, and potentially by other upstream regulators such as the conventional protein kinase C, the Rho and ARF families of small G proteins, and calcium ions. As the mTOR pathway has been demonstrated to be an important anti-cancer target, the identification of new components and novel regulatory modes in mTOR signaling will facilitate the future development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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PMID:A novel pathway regulating the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. 1223 10

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a Ser/Thr (S/T) protein kinase, which controls mRNA translation initiation by modulating phosphorylation of the translational regulators PHAS-I and p70(S6K). Here we show that in vitro mTOR is able to phosphorylate these two regulators at comparable rates. Both (S/T)P sites, such as Thr36, Thr45, and Thr69 in PHAS-I and the h(S/T)h site (where h is a hydrophobic amino acid) Thr389 in p70(S6K), were phosphorylated. Rapamycin-FKBP12 inhibited mTOR activity. Surprisingly, the extent of inhibition depended on the substrate. Moreover, mutating Ser2035 in the rapamycin-binding domain (FRB) not only decreased rapamycin sensitivity as expected but also dramatically affected the sites phosphorylated by mTOR. The results demonstrate that mutations in Ser2035 are not silent with respect to mTOR activity and implicate the FRB in substrate recognition. The findings also impose new limitations on interpreting results from experiments in which rapamycin and/or rapamycin-resistant forms of mTOR are used to investigate mTOR function in cells.
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PMID:The rapamycin-binding domain governs substrate selectivity by the mammalian target of rapamycin. 1237 Feb 90

The ability of stem cells to generate distinct fates is critical for the generation of cellular diversity during development. Central nervous system (CNS) stem cells respond to bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4 by differentiating into a wide variety of dorsal CNS and neural crest cell types. We show that distinct mechanisms are responsible for the generation of two of these cell types, smooth muscle and glia. Smooth muscle differentiation requires BMP-mediated Smad1/5/8 activation and predominates where local cell density is low. In contrast, glial differentiation predominates at high local densities in response to BMP4 and is specifically blocked by a dominant-negative mutant Stat3. Upon BMP4 treatment, the serine-threonine kinase FKBP12/rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), associates with Stat3 and facilitates STAT activation. Inhibition of FRAP prevents STAT activation and glial differentiation. Thus, glial differentiation by BMP4 occurs by a novel pathway mediated by FRAP and STAT proteins. These results suggest that a single ligand can regulate cell fate by activating distinct cytoplasmic signals.
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PMID:BMPs signal alternately through a SMAD or FRAP-STAT pathway to regulate fate choice in CNS stem cells. 1279 77

Rapamycins are macrocyclic lactones that possess immunosuppressive, antifungal and antitumor properties. The parent compound, rapamycin, is approved as an immunosup-pressive agent for preventing rejection in patients receiving organ transplantation. Two analogues, CCI-779 and RAD001 are currently being investigated as anticancer agents. Rapamycins first bind a cyclophilin FKBP12, and this complex binds and inhibits the function of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) a serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinase with homology to phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase. Currently, as mTOR is the only identified target, this places rapamycins in a unique position of being the most selective kinase inhibitor known. Consequently these agents have been powerful tools in elucidating the role of mTOR in cellular growth, proliferation, survival and tumorigenesis. Increasing evidence suggests that mTOR acts as a central controller sensing cellular environment (nutritional status or mitogenic stimulation) and regulating translation initiation through the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E, and ribosomal p70 S6 kinase pathways. Here we review the conserved TOR signaling pathways, conceptual basis for tumor selectivity, and the mechanisms of resistance to this class of antitumor agent.
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PMID:Rapamycins: mechanism of action and cellular resistance. 1287 53

mTOR is a founding member of a family of protein kinases having catalytic domains homologous to those in phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase. mTOR participates in the control by insulin of the phosphorylation of lipin, which is required for adipocyte differentiation, and the two translational regulators, p70S6K and PHAS-I. The phosphorylation of mTOR, itself, is stimulated by insulin in Ser2448, a site that is also phosphorylated by protein kinase B (PKB) in vitro and in response to activation of PKB activity in vivo. Ser2448 is located in a short stretch of amino acids not found in the two TOR proteins in yeast. A mutant mTOR lacking this stretch exhibited increased activity, and binding of the antibody, mTAb-1, to this region markedly increased mTOR activity. In contrast, rapamycin-FKBP12 inhibited mTOR activity towards both PHAS-I and p70S6K, although this complex inhibited the phosphorylation of some sites more than that of others. Mutating Ser2035 to Ile in the FKBP12-rapamycin binding domain rendered mTOR resistant to inhibition by rapamycin. Unexpectedly, this mutation markedly decreased the ability of mTOR to phosphorylate certain sites in both PHAS-I and p70S6K. The results support the hypotheses that rapamycin disrupts substrate recognition instead of directly inhibiting phosphotransferase activity and that mTOR activity in cells is controlled by the phosphorylation of an inhibitory regulatory domain containing the mTAb-1 epitope.
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PMID:Modulation of the protein kinase activity of mTOR. 1456 Sep 59

mTOR/RAFT1/FRAP is the target of the FKBP12-rapamycin complex as well as a central component of a nutrient- and hormone-sensitive pathway that controls cellular growth. Recent work reveals that mTOR interacts with a novel evolutionarily conserved protein that we named raptor, for "regulatory associated protein of mTOR." Raptor has several roles in the mTOR pathway. It is necessary for nutrient-mediated activation of the downstream effector S6K1 and increases in cell size. In addition, under conditions that repress the mTOR pathway, the association of raptor with mTOR is strengthened, leading to a decrease in mTOR kinase activity. Raptor is a critical component of the mTOR pathway that regulates cell growth in response to nutrient levels by associating with mTOR.
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PMID:Raptor and mTOR: subunits of a nutrient-sensitive complex. 1456 Sep 62

FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP) or mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its effector proteins form a critical signaling pathway that regulates eukaryotic cell growth and proliferation. Although the protein components in this pathway have begun to be identified, little is known about their subcellular localization or the physiological significance of their localization. By immunofluorescence, we find that both endogenous and recombinant FRAP/mTOR proteins show localization predominantly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus. Consistent with this finding, FRAP/mTOR is cofractionated with calnexin, an ER marker protein. Biochemical characterization suggests that FRAP/mTOR is a peripheral ER/Golgi protein with tight membrane association. Finally, we have identified domains of FRAP/mTOR which may mediate its association with the ER and the Golgi apparatus.
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PMID:FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein or mammalian target of rapamycin (FRAP/mTOR) localization in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. 1457 59

Susceptibility to mouse plasmacytomagenesis is a complex genetic trait controlled by several Pctr loci (Pctr1, Pctr2, etc). Congenic strain analysis narrowed the genetic interval surrounding the Pctr2 locus, and genes identified in the interval were sequenced from susceptible BALB/c and resistant DBA/2 mice. Frap (FKBP12 rapamycin-associated protein, mTOR, RAFT) was the only gene differing in amino acid sequence between alleles that correlated with strain sensitivity to tumor development. The in vitro kinase activity of the BALB/c FRAP allele was lower than the DBA/2 allele; phosphorylation of p53 and PHAS1/4EBP1 (properties of heat and acid stability/eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein) and autophosphorylation of FRAP were less efficient with the BALB/c allele. FRAP also suppressed transformation of NIH 3T3 cells by ras, with DBA/2 FRAP being more efficient than BALB/c FRAP. Rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of FRAP, did not inhibit growth of plasmacytoma cell lines. These studies identify Frap as a candidate tumor suppressor gene, in contrast to many reports that have focused on its prooncogenic properties. Frap may be similar to Tgfb and E2f in exerting both positive and negative growth-regulatory signals, depending on the timing, pathway, or tumor system involved. The failure of rapamycin to inhibit plasma cell tumor growth suggests that FRAP antagonists may not be appropriate for the treatment of plasma cell tumors. Pctr2 joins Pctr1 in possessing alleles that modify susceptibility to plasmacytomagenesis by encoding differences in efficiency of function (efficiency alleles), rather than all-or-none, gain-of-function, or loss-of-function alleles. By analogy, human cancer may also result from the combined effects of several inefficient alleles.
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PMID:Frap, FKBP12 rapamycin-associated protein, is a candidate gene for the plasmacytoma resistance locus Pctr2 and can act as a tumor suppressor gene. 1463 9

Rapamycin and its analogues have shown promising anticancer activities in preclinical and clinical studies. However, the mechanism whereby rapamycin inhibits signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the FKBP12/rapamycin complex is an essentially irreversible inhibitor of mTOR kinase activity in vitro. However, we observe no suppression of mTOR catalytic activity after immunoprecipitation from rapamycin-treated cells. These results suggest either that rapamycin acts as a reversible kinase inhibitor in intact cells or that the cellular effects of rapamycin are not mediated through global suppression in mTOR kinase activity. To better understand the cellular pharmacology of rapamycin, we compared the individual and combined effects of rapamycin and kinase-inactive mTOR expression on a panel of mTOR-dependent cellular responses. These studies identified glycolytic activity, amino acid transporter trafficking, and Akt kinase activity as novel, mTOR-modulated functions in mammalian cells. Whereas kinase-inactive mTOR did not enhance the decreases in cell size and glycolysis induced by rapamycin, expression of this mTOR mutant significantly enhanced the inhibitory effects of rapamycin on cell proliferation, 4EBP1 phosphorylation, and Akt activity. Unexpectedly, amino acid transporter trafficking was perturbed by kinase-inactive mTOR but not by rapamycin, indicating that this process is rapamycin insensitive. These results indicate that rapamycin exerts variable inhibitory actions on mTOR signaling functions and suggest that direct inhibitors of the mTOR kinase domain will display substantially broader anticancer activities than rapamycin.
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PMID:Differential effects of rapamycin on mammalian target of rapamycin signaling functions in mammalian cells. 1467 9


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