Control of cell cycle checkpoint mediated by mammalian target of rapamycin

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Rapamycin is a lipophilic macrolide compound and binds to FKBP12 in mammalian cells. The mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) protein was identified as a target of FKBP12-rapamycin complex. This protein has a calculated molecular weight of 289 kDa and contains a kinase-like domain at its carboxyl-terminus. In this study, we obtained following findings.(1)mTOR participates in nutrient-sensing, especially amino acid-sensing, in mammalian cells and regulates translational effectors, such as p70S6 kinase α (p70α) and eIF4E binding protein (4EBP).(2)Activation of amino acid-mTOR signaling pathway is indispensable for mitogen-induced protein synthesis. In other words, amino acid-mTOR signaling is a priming signal for mitogen-induced protein synthesis.(3)Among amino acids, leucine has the most potent ability to activate phosphorylation of p70α.(4)p70α, extracted in inactive forms from rapamycin-treated cells, can be directly phosphorylated by the mTOR kinase at the rapamycin-sensitive site Thr-412. mTOR-catalyzed p70α phosphorylation in vitro is accompanied by a substantial restoration in p70α kinase activity.(5)Sequential phosphorylation of p70α by mTOR and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 in vitro results in a synergistic stimulation of p70α activity to levels similar to that attained by serum stimulation in vivo.(6)Several candidates of binding partners of mTOR were identified using conventional biochemical methods and yeast-two hybrid system and detailed analyses are now in progress.(7)Some of leucine derivatives were found to have the ability to inhibit p70α activation and T cell proliferation. This analysis is also now in progress.