PTEN regulates microtubule polymerization via mTORC2, but not mTORC1, in peripheral sensory neurons

Evans S, Reglewski J, Rose H, Lewis C, Nayak A, Minsky C, McNeil E, Knowles B, Wang W, Li M, Luikart BW, Hong J · 2026 · eNeuro · Atlas ID EVA2026

What this study shows

Uses Raptor (mTORC1) versus Rictor (mTORC2) co-deletion on a Pten-knockout background to ask which complex carries the growth signal to the microtubule cytoskeleton. Suppressing mTORC2 — but not mTORC1 — returns the accelerated microtubule polymerisation and neuronal hypertrophy of Pten-KO neurons to wild-type levels, and the effect is confined to the axonal growth cone rather than the proximal axon shaft. A clean genetic dissection on the comparatively thin mTORC2 side of the pathway.

Abstract

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Peripheral neuropathy affects over 18 million adults in the U.S., but therapeutic outcomes are poor due to a lack of regenerative treatments. Pten is a strong negative regulator of cell growth, and Pten-KO drives axonal regeneration in various neuronal subtypes potentially via downstream regulation of stability of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, a vital component of axonal growth.

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At a glance

Evidence type	M Molecular — cells, biochemistry, structure Marked M because it is molecular or in-vitro work (model: Mouse peripheral sensory neuron cultures (Pten-KO with Raptor or Rictor co-deletion, both sexes)) rather than a whole-organism health-outcome study. That is often exactly where causal biology gets established -- the code says which system the finding was shown in, and nothing about how good the work is.
Study type	5 - Mechanistic / In Vitro
Model system	Mouse peripheral sensory neuron cultures (Pten-KO with Raptor or Rictor co-deletion, both sexes)
Journal	eNeuro
Year	2026
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-08-22
Source	DOI 10.1523/ENEURO.0116-26.2026 · PMID 42642329

Extracted findings

Intervention	Genetic: Pten knockout with Raptor (mTORC1) or Rictor (mTORC2) co-deletion
Target	mTORC2 (RICTOR); microtubule cytoskeleton; PTEN
Model	Mouse (peripheral sensory neuron cultures)
Effect	mTORC2, not mTORC1, mediates PTEN-dependent microtubule polymerization and neuronal hypertrophy at the growth cone

Cite this paper

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Evans, S., Reglewski, J., Rose, H., Lewis, C., Nayak, A., Minsky, C., McNeil, E., Knowles, B., Wang, W., Li, M., Luikart, B. W., & Hong, J. (2026). PTEN regulates microtubule polymerization via mTORC2, but not mTORC1, in peripheral sensory neurons. eNeuro. https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0116-26.2026

@article{EVA2026,
  author       = {Evans, S. and Reglewski, J. and Rose, H. and Lewis, C. and Nayak, A. and Minsky, C. and McNeil, E. and Knowles, B. and Wang, W. and Li, M. and Luikart, B. W. and Hong, J.},
  title        = {{PTEN regulates microtubule polymerization via mTORC2, but not mTORC1, in peripheral sensory neurons}},
  journal      = {eNeuro},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {10.1523/ENEURO.0116-26.2026},
  note         = {PMID: 42642329},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record EVA2026) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/EVA2026/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_EVA2026,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record EVA2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/EVA2026/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}