mTOR signaling in cancer cell motility and tumor metastasis

Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2010;20(1):1-16. doi: 10.1615/critreveukargeneexpr.v20.i1.10.

Abstract

Tumor cell migration is a key step in the formation of cancer metastasis. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed serinethreonine kinase, has been intensely studied for over a decade as a central regulator of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Recent data have shown that mTOR also plays a critical role in the regulation of tumor cell motility and cancer metastasis. Here, we briefly review recent advances regarding mTOR signaling in tumor cell motility. We also discuss recent findings about the mechanism by which rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR, inhibits cell motility in vitro and metastasis in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cause of Death
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / physiology
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / physiology*
  • Ligands
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / pathology*
  • Neoplasms / mortality
  • Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology*
  • Receptor, IGF Type 1 / physiology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Receptor, IGF Type 1
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Sirolimus