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The mTOR Pathway in Breast Cancer

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Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There is currently a wealth of information regarding the mutations that contribute to cancer development. Most of these mutations alter the expression and activity of signal transduction proteins. The current goal in cancer therapy is to use our knowledge of the molecular alterations in a cancer cell to choose the most appropriate signal transduction inhibitor for an individual patient. The topic of this review is the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase signaling pathway, which is aberrantly activated in many types of human cancer. We will discuss the mTOR pathway and the potential mechanisms that contribute to its activation in cancer, together with data relating to the potential for inhibitors targeting the mTOR-signaling pathway to impact on breast cancer therapy.

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Abbreviations

AMPK:

AMP- activated protein kinase

CML:

chronic myelogenous leukemia

eIF-4E:

eukaryotic initiation factor 4E

ER:

estrogen receptor

FGFR:

fibroblast growth factor receptor

FKBP12:

FK506-binding protein-12

FTI:

farnesyltransferase inhibitor

HIF:

hypoxia inducible transcription factor

HMEC:

human mammary epithelial cells

IGF-1R:

insulin like growth factor-1 receptor

LOH:

loss of heterozygosity

mTOR:

mammalian target of rapamycin

PDK1:

phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase 1

PH:

plekstrin homology

PIKK:

phosphoinositide kinase-related kinase

PIP3:

phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5 triphosphate

PI3K:

phosphoinositide 3-kinase

PJS:

Peutz–Jeghers syndrome

PKB:

protein kinase B

PTEN:

phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted in chromosome 10

RTK:

receptor tyrosine kinase

STI:

signal transduction inhibitor

S6K1:

ribosomal S6 kinase

TKI:

tyrosine kinase inhibitor

TSC:

tuberous sclerosis complex

4E-BP1:

eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Brian Hemmings of the FMI for his helpful suggestions. The laboratory of N.E.H. was supported by Novartis Forschungsstiftung Zweigniederlassung Friedrich Miescher Institute.

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  1. Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland

    Nancy E. Hynes & Anne Boulay

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  1. Nancy E. Hynes
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  2. Anne Boulay
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Correspondence to Nancy E. Hynes.

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Hynes, N.E., Boulay, A. The mTOR Pathway in Breast Cancer. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 11, 53–61 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-006-9012-6

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