
Role of the mTOR signaling pathway in salivary gland development.
Authors of this article are:
Sakai M, Fukumoto M, Ikai K, Ono Minagi H, Inagaki S, Kogo M, Sakai T.
A summary of the article is shown below:
Development of the salivary gland is characterized by extensive branching morphogenesis. Although various molecules have been implicated in salivary gland development, the role of the mTOR signaling pathway, including both mTORC1 and mTORC2, in salivary gland development is unknown. Here, we examined protein expression levels related to the mTOR signaling pathway using an ex vivo submandibular salivary gland organ culture. We showed that branching buds in the salivary glands were substantially decreased and phosphorylation of mTORC1 signaling pathway related proteins (mTOR, S6K1, and 4E-BP1) was inhibited by rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor). In addition, AKT, which is an upstream protein kinase of mTORC1 and is downstream of mTORC2, is inhibited by LY294002 (a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor), but not by rapamycin. Moreover, rapamycin-treated ICR neonatal mice exhibited a reduction in both body weight and salivary glands compared with vehicle-treated neonatal mice. The present data indicate that the mTOR signaling pathway, including both mTORC1 and mTORC2, plays a critical role in salivary gland development both in ex vivo submandibular salivary gland organ culture and ICR neonatal mice in vivo. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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This article is a good source of information and a good way to become familiar with topics such as: development; differentiation; organ culture; salivary gland.