The role of skeletal muscle mTOR in the regulation of mechanical load-induced growth

Abstract

Chronic mechanical loading (CML) of skeletal muscle induces compensatory growth and the drug rapamycin has been reported to block this effect. Since rapamycin is considered to be a highly specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), many have concluded that mTOR plays a key role in CML-induced growth regulatory events. However, rapamycin can exert mTOR-independent actions and systemic administration of rapamycin will inhibit mTOR signalling in all cells throughout the body. Thus, it is not clear if the growth inhibitory effects of rapamycin are actually due to the inhibition of mTOR signalling, and more specifically, the inhibition of mTOR signalling in skeletal muscle cel..