mTOR and autophagy in regulation of acute lung injury: a review and perspective

• Published in: Microbes and infection Vol. 16; no. 9; pp. 727 - 734
• Main Authors: Hu, Yue, Liu, Juan, Wu, Yin-Fang, Lou, Jian, Mao, Yuan-Yuan, Shen, Hua-Hao, Chen, Zhi-Hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Masson SAS 01.09.2014
• Subjects: Acute lung injury; Acute Lung Injury - etiology; Acute Lung Injury - metabolism; Acute Lung Injury - physiopathology; Animals; Autophagy; Autophagy - physiology; Humans; mTOR; Signal Transduction; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; mTOR; Acute lung injury; Autophagy
• ISSN: 1286-4579; 1769-714X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2014.07.005

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central regulator of many major cellular processes including protein and lipid synthesis and autophagy, and is also implicated in an increasing number of pathological conditions. Emerging evidence suggests that both mTOR and autophagy are critically involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases including acute lung injury (ALI). However, the detailed mechanisms of these pathways in disease pathogenesis require further investigations. In certain cases within the same disease, the functions of mTOR and autophagy may vary from different cell types and pathogens. Here we review recent advances about the basic machinery of mTOR and autophagy, and their roles in ALI. We further discuss and propose the likelihood of cell type- and pathogen-dependent functions of these pathways in ALI pathogenesis.