The mTOR signaling pathway as a treatment target for intracranial neoplasms

Doreen Pachow; Wolfgang Wick; David H Gutmann; Christian Mawrin

doi:10.1093/neuonc/nou164

The mTOR signaling pathway as a treatment target for intracranial neoplasms

Neuro Oncol. 2015 Feb;17(2):189-99. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/nou164. Epub 2014 Aug 27.

Authors

Doreen Pachow¹, Wolfgang Wick¹, David H Gutmann¹, Christian Mawrin¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neuropathology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany (D.P., C.M.); Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri (D.H.G.); Department of Neuro-Oncology, Neurology Clinic & National Center for Tumor Diseases, University of Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany (W.W.).

Abstract

Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has become an attractive target for human cancer therapy. Hyperactivation of mTOR has been reported in both sporadic and syndromic (hereditary) brain tumors. In contrast to the large number of successful clinical trials employing mTOR inhibitors in different types of epithelial neoplasms, their use to treat intracranial neoplasms is more limited. In this review, we summarize the role of mTOR activation in brain tumor pathogenesis and growth relevant to new human brain tumor trials currently under way using mTOR inhibitors.

Keywords: glioblastoma; mTORC1; mTORC2; meningioma.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Brain Neoplasms / enzymology
Clinical Trials as Topic
Glioblastoma / drug therapy*
Glioblastoma / enzymology
Humans
Meningioma / drug therapy*
Meningioma / enzymology
Protein Kinase Inhibitors / administration & dosage*
Signal Transduction / drug effects
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
Treatment Outcome

Substances

Protein Kinase Inhibitors
MTOR protein, human
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases