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Review
. 2014 Apr 14:4:64.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00064. eCollection 2014.

Targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling in Cancer

Affiliations
Review

Targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling in Cancer

Camillo Porta et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways are two pathways crucial to many aspects of cell growth and survival, in physiological as well as in pathological conditions (e.g., cancer). Indeed, they are so interconnected that, in a certain sense, they could be regarded as a single, unique pathway. In this paper, after a general overview of the biological significance and the main components of these pathways, we address the present status of the development of specific PI3K, Akt, and mTOR inhibitors, from already registered medicines to novel compounds that are just leaving the laboratory bench.

Keywords: Akt; PI3K; everolimus; inhibitors; mTOR; novel agents; ridaforolimus; temsirolimus.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A schematic representation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Structure of clinically available mTOR inhibitors.

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