Cited by 85Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsPI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancerTelomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence

mTORC Inhibitors as Broad-Spectrum Therapeutics for Age-Related Diseases

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Walters, Hannah E., Cox, Lynne S.·2018·International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Chronological age represents the greatest risk factor for many life-threatening diseases, including neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease; ageing also increases susceptibility to infectious disease. Current efforts to tackle individual diseases may have little impact on the overall healthspan of older individuals, who would still be vulnerable to other age-related pathologies. However, recent progress in ageing research has highlighted the accumulation of senescent cells with chronological age as a probable underlying cause of pathological ageing. Cellular senescence is an essentially irreversible proliferation arrest mechanism that has important roles in development, wound healing, and preventing cancer, but it may limit tissue function and cause widespread inflammation with age. The serine/threonine kinase mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) is a regulatory nexus that is heavily implicated in both ageing and senescence. Excitingly, a growing body of research has highlighted rapamycin and other mTOR inhibitors as promising treatments for a broad spectrum of age-related pathologies, including neurodegeneration, cancer, immunosenescence, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, age-related blindness, diabetic nephropathy, muscular dystrophy, and cardiovascular disease. In this review, we assess the use of mTOR inhibitors to treat age-related pathologies, discuss possible molecular mechanisms of action where evidence is available, and consider strategies to minimize undesirable side effects. We also emphasize the urgent need for reliable, non-invasive biomarkers of senescence and biological ageing to better monitor the efficacy of any healthy ageing therapy.

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Authors
Walters, H. E., & Cox, L. S.
Affiliations
University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
Cox, Lynne S.
Venue
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-08-08
Volume
19
Issue
8
Pages
2325
ISSN
1422-0067 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2886126815
Cited by
85
References
234
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 2
FWCI
0.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Preprints.org (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/M006727/1)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
Keywords
mTOR inhibitors, rapamycin, cellular senescence, aging, age-related diseases, healthy aging, neurodegeneration, immunosenescence, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic nephropathy, muscular dystrophy, cardiovascular disease, senescence biomarkers, biological aging
MeSH terms
Aging, Cardiovascular Diseases, Humans, Neoplasms, Risk Factors, Biomarkers, Cellular Senescence, Neurodegenerative Diseases, TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

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