The Role of Mammalian Target of Rapamycine Signaling Pathway in Central Nervous System Cancers: A Review

Mammalian mechanistic target of rapamycine (mTOR) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase in the cellular PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. This pathway is modified by cellular alterations such as level of energy, growth factors, stresses, as well as the increased environmental level of cancerous cytokines. In general, increase of this kinase protein function is seen in various types of cancers, especially in cancer stem-like cell.  Additionally, activation of this pathway in the most common malignant central nervous system cancers such as glioblastoma, medulloblastomas and tuberous sclerosis complex is under investigation. Recent studies have shown the relationship between different cellular signaling pathways and genetic mutations, that involved in the cancer of CNS, with mTOR pathway. Based on previous studies, different treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, aren’t more effective and have some side-effects. Therefore, the researchers are trying to find better ways to treat cancer. One approach to this aim is about the essence of understanding all of molecular pathways, proteins and mutations involved in cancers. This study tries to analysis some of the unknown molecular pathways on mentioned cancerous cells and interaction among this pathway with mTOR kinase protein.