mTORC2 tips the balance in cell survival

mTORC2 tips the balance in cell survival

mTORC2 tips the balance in cell sur vival Zou et al. demonstrate that mTORC2 acts as a rheostat to regulate cell survival versus apoptosis. The protein kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is present in two distinct multiprotein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, that regulate metabolism, cell proliferation, and survival. Cells are known to leverage microRNAs to regulate expression of protein...

How morphine tips the synaptic balance

Though morphine is a highly effective painkiller , long-term use can lead to tolerance, addiction, and cognitive impairment, including defects in learning and memory. Precisely how morphine alters learning and memory remains unclear, but Cai et al. now show that the opioid alters the balance of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the hippocampus through a pathway involving the generation of r...

Spindle Checkpoint Silencing: PP1 Tips the Balance

The spindle checkpoint is a mitotic surveillance mechanism that delays anaphase until all sister chromatids are correctly attached to microtubules from opposite poles. Recent studies reveal that protein kinase Aurora B is a key regulator of spindle checkpoint activation whereas protein phosphatase PP1 antagonizes Aurora B and induces checkpoint silencing. Chromosome biorientation stretches the ...

Rictor/mTORC2 Is Essential for Maintaining a Balance Between β-Cell Proliferation and Cell Size

OBJECTIVE We examined the role of Rictor/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2), a key component of the phosphotidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mTORC2/AKT signaling pathway, in regulating both β-cell mass and function. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Mice with β-cell-specific deletions of Rictor or Pten were studied to determine the effects of deleting either or both genes on β-cell mass a...

mTORC2 Coordinates Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell Metabolism, Proliferation and Survival in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension