Exp Mol Med.  2011 May;43(5):231-274. 10.3858/emm.2011.43.5.032.

Frontier of Epilepsy Research - mTOR signaling pathway

• Cho CH

• KMID: 1009965
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3858/emm.2011.43.5.032

Abstract

Studies of epilepsy have mainly focused on the membrane proteins that control neuronal excitability. Recently, attention has been shifting to intracellular proteins and their interactions, signaling cascades and feedback regulation as they relate to epilepsy. The mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signal transduction pathway, especially, has been suggested to play an important role in this regard. These pathways are involved in major physiological processes as well as in numerous pathological conditions. Here, involvement of the mTOR pathway in epilepsy will be reviewed by presenting; an overview of the pathway, a brief description of key signaling molecules, a summary of independent reports and possible implications of abnormalities of those molecules in epilepsy, a discussion of the lack of experimental data, and questions raised for the understanding its epileptogenic mechanism.

Keyword

epilepsy; mTOR; rapamycin

MeSH Terms

Astrocytes/metabolism
Cell Death
Epilepsy/diet therapy/drug therapy/*metabolism/virology
Humans
Ketogenic Diet
Protein Binding/physiology
Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use
Receptors, Cannabinoid/metabolism
Signal Transduction/*physiology
Synapses/metabolism
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors/*metabolism
Temporal Lobe/metabolism