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Query: UNIPROT:P42345 (mTOR)
 26,049 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The ability of insulin to stimulate protein synthesis and cellular growth is mediated through the insulin receptor (IR), which phosphorylates Tyr residues in the insulin receptor substrate-signaling proteins (IRS-1 and IRS-2), Gab-1, and Shc. These phosphorylated substrates directly bind and activate enzymes such as phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) and the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for p21Ras (GRB-2/SOS), which are in turn required for insulin-stimulated protein synthesis, cell cycle progression, and prevention of apoptosis. We have now shown that one or more members of the atypical protein kinase C group, as exemplified by the zeta isoform (PKC zeta), are downstream of IRS-1 and P13K and mediate the effect of insulin on general protein synthesis. Ectopic expression of constitutively activated PKC zeta eliminates the requirement of IRS-1 for general protein synthesis but not for insulin-stimulated activation of 70-kDa S6 kinase (p70S6K), synthesis of growth-regulated proteins (e.g., c-Myc), or mitogenesis. The fact that PKC zeta stimulates general protein synthesis but not activation of p70S6K indicates that PKC zeta activation does not involve the proto-oncogene Akt, which is also activated by PI3K. Yet insulin is still required for the stimulation of general protein synthesis in the presence of constitutively active PKC zeta and in the absence of IRS-1, suggesting a requirement for the convergence of the IRS-1/PI3K/PKC zeta pathway with one or more additional pathways emanating from the IR, e.g., Shc/SOS/p21Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase. Thus, PI3K appears to represent a bifurcation in the insulin signaling pathway, one branch leading through PKC zeta to general protein synthesis and one, through Akt and the target of rapamycin (mTOR), to growth-regulated protein synthesis and cell cycle progression.
Mol Cell Biol 1997 Sep
PMID:Requirement of protein kinase C zeta for stimulation of protein synthesis by insulin. 927 96

Employing specific inhibitors and docking-site mutants of growth factor receptors, recent studies have indicated that the insulin-induced increase in 40S ribosomal protein S6 and initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) phosphorylation is mediated by the mTOR/FRAP-p70s6k signal transduction pathway. However, it has not been resolved whether the phosphorylation of both proteins is mediated by p70s6k or whether they reside on parallel pathways which bifurcate upstream of p70s6k. Here we have used either rapamycin-resistant, kinase-dead, or wild-type p70s6k variants to distinguish between these possibilities. The rapamycin-resistant p70s6k, which has high constitutive activity, was able to signal to S6 in the absence of insulin and to prevent the rapamycin-induced block of S6 phosphorylation. This same construct did not increase the basal state of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation or protect it from the rapamycin-induced block in phosphorylation. Unexpectedly, the rapamycin-resistant p70s6k inhibited insulin-induced 4E-BP1 phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was mimicked by the kinase-dead and wild-type p70s6k constructs, which also blocked insulin-induced dissociation of 4E-BP1 from initiation factor 4E. Both the kinase-dead and wild-type constructs also blocked reporter p70s6k activation, although only the kinase-dead p70s6k had a dominant-interfering effect on S6 phosphorylation. Analysis of phosphopeptides from reporter 4E-BP1 and p70s6k revealed that the kinase-dead p70s6k affected the same subset of sites as rapamycin in both proteins. The results demonstrate, for the first time, that activated p70s6k mediates increased S6 phosphorylation in vivo. Furthermore, they show that increased 4E-BP1 phosphorylation is controlled by a parallel signalling pathway that bifurcates immediately upstream of p70s6k, with the two pathways sharing a common rapamycin-sensitive activator.
Mol Cell Biol 1997 Sep
PMID:The insulin-induced signalling pathway leading to S6 and initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 phosphorylation bifurcates at a rapamycin-sensitive point immediately upstream of p70s6k. 927 19

The mu-opioid receptor mediates the analgesic and addictive properties of morphine. Despite the clinical importance of this G-protein-coupled receptor and many years of pharmacological research, few intracellular signaling mechanisms triggered by morphine and other mu-opioid agonists have been described. We report that mu-opioid agonists stimulate three different effectors of a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling cascade. By using a cell line stably transfected with the mu-opioid receptor cDNA, we show that the specific agonist [D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) stimulates the activity of Akt, a serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in protecting neurons from apoptosis. Activation of Akt by DAMGO correlates with its phosphorylation at serine 473. The selective PI3K inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 blocked phosphorylation of this site, previously shown to be necessary for Akt enzymatic activity. DAMGO also stimulates the phosphorylation of two other downstream effectors of PI3K, the p70 S6 kinase and the repressors of mRNA translation, 4E-BP1 and 4E-BP2. Upon mu-opioid receptor stimulation, p70 S6 kinase is activated and phosphorylated at threonine 389 and at threonine 421/serine 424. Phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 is also repressed by PI3K inhibitors as well as by rapamycin, the selective inhibitor of FRAP/mTOR. Consistent with these findings, DAMGO-stimulated phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 impairs its ability to bind the translation initiation factor eIF-4E. These results demonstrate that the mu-opioid receptor activates signaling pathways associated with neuronal survival and translational control, two processes implicated in neuronal development and synaptic plasticity.
J Biol Chem 1998 Sep 04
PMID:mu-Opioid receptor activates signaling pathways implicated in cell survival and translational control. 972 92

mTOR immunoprecipitates contain two 4E-BP1 protein kinase activities. One appears to be due to mTOR itself and results in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 on residues T(36) and T(45), as shown previously by others. The other is a kinase which can be separated from mTOR and which phosphorylates 4E-BP1 within a peptide(s) containing residues S(64) and T(69). This phosphorylation, which occurs predominantly on S(64), results in the dissociation of 4E-BP1 from eIF-4E.
FEBS Lett 1999 Sep 03
PMID:Dissociation of the eukaryotic initiation factor-4E/4E-BP1 complex involves phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 by an mTOR-associated kinase. 1047 35

Eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E binds to the 5'-cap structure of eukaryotic mRNA and has a central role in the control of cell proliferation. We have shown previously that the stimulation of cultured Xenopus kidney cells with serum resulted in the activation of protein synthesis, enhanced phosphorylation of eIF4E and increased binding of the adapter protein, eIF4G, and poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) to eIF4E to form the functional initiation factor complex, eIF4F/PABP. We now show that cellular stresses such as arsenite, anisomycin and heat shock also result in increased phosphorylation of eIF4E, eIF4F complex formation and the association of PABP with eIF4G, in conditions under which the rate of protein synthesis is severely inhibited. In contrast with reported effects on mammalian cells, the stress-induced increase in eIF4F complex formation occurs in the absence of changes in the association of eIF4E with its binding proteins 4E-BP1 or 4E-BP2. The stress-induced changes in eIF4E phosphorylation were totally abrogated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitor SB203580, and were partly inhibited by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin. However, eIF4E phosphorylation was unaffected by extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (MAP kinase) inhibitor PD98059. These results indicate that cellular stresses activate multiple signalling pathways that converge at the level of eIF4F complex formation to influence the interactions between eIF4E, eIF4G and PABP.
Biochem J 1999 Sep 15
PMID:Cellular stress in xenopus kidney cells enhances the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF)4E and the association of eIF4F with poly(A)-binding protein. 1047 62

Rapamycin is an immunosuppressant which antagonizes cellular proliferation by inhibiting the function of mTOR. The mTOR:FKBP12: rapamycin complex blocks G1/S transition by inhibiting downstream targets essential for cell cycle progression. One such target is p70S6k1 (S6K1), a serine/threonine kinase which is inactivated by the mTOR : FKBP12 : rapamycin complex, and which has been linked to translational control by virtue of its ability to phosphorylate the ribosomal protein S6. In the current work, we describe cloning and characterization of a novel S6K1 homolog, p54 S6 kinase 2 (p54S6k2/S6K2). Similar to S6K1, S6K2 is activated by mitogens and by constitutively active PI3K, and is inhibited by rapamycin as well as wortmannin. Differences between activation of S6K1 and S6K2 by PDK1 were observed, suggesting potential differences in the regulation of these homologs. Strikingly, S6K2 activity and S6 phosphorylation were both intact in S6K1-/-ES cell, indicating a possible role for S6K2 in in vivo S6 phosphorylation. Interestingly, we found two isoforms of S6K2 which are localized to distinct cellular compartments; the smaller form resides in the detergent-soluble fraction, whereas the larger form is found in the particulate fraction. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a family of rapamycin-sensitive protein kinases potentially involved in S6 phosphorylation, translational control, and transduction of mTOR signals.
Oncogene 1999 Sep 09
PMID:Characterization of S6K2, a novel kinase homologous to S6K1. 1049 Aug 47

Loss of muscle mass usually characterizes different pathologies (sepsis, cancer, trauma) and also occurs during normal aging. One reason for muscle wasting relates to a decrease in food intake. This study addressed the role of leucine as a regulator of protein breakdown in mouse C2C12 myotubes and aimed to determine which cellular responses regulate the process. Determination of the rate of protein breakdown indicated that leucine is one key regulator of this process in myotubes because starvation for this amino acid is responsible for 30-40% of the total increase generated by total amino acid starvation. Leucine restriction rapidly accelerates the rate of protein breakdown (+11 to 15% (p < 0.001) after 1 h of starvation) in a dose-dependent manner. By using various inhibitors, evidence is provided that acceleration of protein catabolism results mainly from an induction of autophagy, activation of lysosome-dependent proteolysis, without modification of mRNA levels encoding the lysosomal cathepsins B, L, or D. Those results suggest that autophagy is an essential cellular response for increasing protein breakdown in muscle following food deprivation. Induction of autophagy precedes a decrease in global protein synthesis (-20% to -30% (p < 0.001)) that occurs after 3 h of leucine starvation. Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity does not abolish the effect of leucine starvation and the level of phosphorylated ribosomal S6 protein is not affected by leucine withdrawal. These latter data provide clear evidence that the mTOR signaling pathway is not involved in the mediation of leucine effects on both protein synthesis and degradation in C2C12 myotubes.
J Biol Chem 2000 Sep 22
PMID:Leucine limitation induces autophagy and activation of lysosome-dependent proteolysis in C2C12 myotubes through a mammalian target of rapamycin-independent signaling pathway. 1089 13

Amino acid availability is known to regulate diverse cell processes including the activation of p70 S6 kinase, initiation factors involved in mRNA translation, gene expression and cellular amino acid uptake. Essential amino acids, in particular the branched-chain amino acids (e.g. leucine), have been shown to be the dominant players in mediating these effects, although the precise nature by which they regulate these processes remain poorly understood. In this study we have investigated the mechanisms involved in the leucine-induced modulation of p70 S6 kinase and addressed whether this kinase participates in the up-regulation of the System A amino acid transporter in L6 muscle cells. Incubation of muscle cells that had been amino acid-deprived for 1 h with L-leucine (2 mM) led to a rapid (>2-fold) activation of p70 S6 kinase, which was suppressed by both wortmannin and rapamycin. Consistent with this finding, addition of leucine caused a rapid ( approximately 5-fold) but transient stimulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). PI3K activation was inhibited by wortmannin and was not dependent upon insulin receptor substrate-1 activation. Unlike stimulation by insulin, activation of neither protein kinase B nor p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase accompanied the leucine-induced stimulation of PI3K. However, the leucine-induced activation of PI3K and p70 S6 kinase did result in the concomitant inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3). Leucine enhanced System A transport by approximately 50%. We have shown previously that this stimulation is protein-synthesis-dependent and in the current study we show that it was blocked by both wortmannin and rapamycin. Our findings indicate that PI3K and the mammalian target of rapamycin are components of a nutrient signalling pathway that regulates the activation of p70 S6 kinase and induction of System A in L6 cells. The activation of this pathway by leucine is also responsible for the inactivation of GSK-3, and this is likely to have important regulatory implications for translation initiation.
Biochem J 2000 Sep 01
PMID:L-leucine availability regulates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, p70 S6 kinase and glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity in L6 muscle cells: evidence for the involvement of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in the L-leucine-induced up-regulation of system A amino acid transport. 1094 49

Enhanced phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein s6 kinase, p70(s6k), and the translational repressor, 4E-BP1, are associated with either insulin-induced or amino acid-induced protein synthesis. Hyperphosphorylation of p70(s6k) and 4E-BP1 in response to insulin or amino acids is mediated through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In several cell lines, mTOR or its downstream targets can be regulated by phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase; protein kinases A, B, and C; heterotrimeric G-proteins; a PD98059-sensitive kinase or calcium; as well as by amino acids. Regulation by amino acids appears to involve detection of levels of charged t-RNA or t-RNA synthetase activity and is sensitive to inhibition by amino acid alcohols. In the present article, however, we show that the rapamycin-sensitive regulation of 4E-BP1 and p70(s6k) in freshly isolated rat adipocytes is not inhibited by either L-leucinol or L-histidinol. This finding is in agreement with other recent studies from our laboratory suggesting that the mechanism by which amino acids regulate mTOR in freshly isolated adipocytes may be different than the mechanism found in a number of cell lines. Therefore we investigated the possible role of growth factor-regulated and G-protein-regulated signaling pathways in the rapamycin-sensitive, amino acid alcohol-insensitive actions of amino acids on 4E-BP1 phosphorylation. We found, in contrast to previously published results using 3T3-L1 adipocytes or other cell lines, that the increase in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation promoted by amino acids was insensitive to agents that regulate protein kinase A, mobilize calcium, or inhibit protein kinase C. Furthermore, amino acid-induced 4E-BP1 phosphorylation was not blocked by pertussis toxin nor was it mimicked by the G-protein agonists fluoroaluminate or MAS-7. However, amino acids failed to activate either PI 3-kinase, protein kinase B, or mitogen-activated protein kinase and failed to promote tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, similar to observations made using cell lines. In summary, amino acids appear to use an amino acid alcohol-insensitive mechanism to regulate mTOR in freshly isolated adipocytes. This mechanism is independent of cell-signaling pathways implicated in the regulation of mTOR or its downstream targets in other cells. Overall, our study emphasizes the need for caution when extending results obtained using established cell lines to the differentiated nondividing cells found in most tissues.
J Cell Biochem 2000 Sep 07
PMID:Assessment of cell-signaling pathways in the regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by amino acids in rat adipocytes. 1097 80

Cardiac hypertrophy is characterized by increased cardiomyocyte protein synthesis, increased cell volume, and a shift in cardiac-specific gene expression to fetal isoforms. Using neonatal rat cardiomyocytes stimulated with fetal calf serum (FCS) as a model for cardiac hypertrophy, the present study investigated the role of 2 signal transduction pathways, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p70S6 kinase (p70S6K), in the attendant phenotype changes. FCS evoked both ERK and p70S6K activity, peaking at 20-40min, and simultaneously increased cardiac myocyte protein synthesis (evaluated by [3H]leucine incorporation and total cellular protein content), cell size (evaluated by morphometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis) and expression of a fetal isoform of the muscle specific gene skeletal alpha-actin (SKA). Rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is an upstream signaling of p70S6K, completely inhibited FCS-induced cell size increases and protein synthesis, but had no effect on SKA mRNA expression. PD98059, which inhibited ERK activity, attenuated cardiac-specific gene expression in a dose-dependent manner, but had no influence on protein synthesis or cell size. These results indicate divergent roles for the ERK and p70S6K pathways in the phenotypic changes associated with cardiac hypertrophy.
Jpn Circ J 2000 Sep
PMID:Role and relation of p70 S6 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases in the phenotypic changes of hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes. 1098 55


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