mTORC2 is required for prostate cancer driven by Pten loss in mice.
| Evidence tier | C Animal in vivo |
| Study type | 4 - Animal Study |
| Model system | Mouse (prostate) |
| Journal | Cancer cell |
| Year | 2009 |
| Peer reviewed | Yes |
| Source | DOI 10.1016/j.ccr.2008.12.017 · PMID 19185849 · Free full text (PMC2701381) |
mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2) contains the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase and the Rictor regulatory protein and phosphorylates Akt. Whether this function of mTORC2 is critical for cancer progression is unknown. Here, we show that transformed human prostate epithelial cells lacking PTEN require mTORC2 to form tumors when injected into nude mice. Furthermore, we find that Rictor is a haploinsufficient gene and that deleting one copy protects Pten heterozygous mice from prostate cancer. Finally, we show that the development of prostate cancer caused by Pten deletion specifically in prostate epithelium requires mTORC2, but that for normal prostate epithelial cells, mTORC2 activity is nonessential. The selective requirement for mTORC2 in tumor development suggests that mTORC2 inhibitors may be of substantial clinical utility.
| Intervention | Genetic (Rictor/mTORC2 deletion; Pten loss) |
| Target | mTORC2 (Rictor) / Akt |
| Model | Mouse (prostate) |
| Effect | mTORC2 is required for prostate cancer driven by Pten loss; Rictor is haploinsufficient |