mTOR Pathway is Involved in Energy Homeostasis Regulation as a Part of the Gut-Brain Axis

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 21; no. 16; p. 5715
• Main Authors: Pena-Leon, Veronica, Perez-Lois, Raquel, Seoane, Luisa Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.08.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Animals; Autophagy; Body weight; Cell growth; Digestive system; Eating - physiology; Energy; Energy balance; Food; Food intake; Gastric Mucosa - metabolism; Gastrointestinal system; Gastrointestinal tract; Ghrelin; Ghrelin - metabolism; Glucose; Glucose - metabolism; Glycolysis - physiology; Homeostasis; Homeostasis - physiology; Hormones; Humans; Hypothalamus; Hypothalamus - metabolism; Kinases; Lipid Metabolism - physiology; Lipids; Liver; Liver - metabolism; Mammals; Metabolism; Morphology; mTOR; nesfatin-1; Neurons; Nutrients; Nutritional status; obesity; Organs; Physiology; Proteins; Rapamycin; Review; Sensors; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - physiology; Thermogenesis; TOR protein; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; mTOR; homeostasis; ghrelin; gastrointestinal tract; nesfatin-1; obesity
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165715

Mammalian, or mechanic, target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is a crucial factor in the regulation of the energy balance that functions as an energy sensor in the body. The present review explores how the mTOR/S6k intracellular pathway is involved in modulating the production of different signals such as ghrelin and nesfatin-1 in the gastrointestinal tract to regulate food intake and body weight. The role of gastric mTOR signaling in different physiological processes was studied in depth through different genetic models that allow the modulation of mTOR signaling in the stomach and specifically in gastric X/A type cells. It has been described that mTOR signaling in X/A-like gastric cells has a relevant role in the regulation of glucose and lipid homeostasis due to its interaction with different organs such as liver and adipose tissue. These findings highlight possible therapeutic strategies, with the gut-brain axis being one of the most promising targets in the treatment of obesity.