TOR in the immune system

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Koichi Araki, Emory University; Ali H. Ellebedy, Emory University; Rafi Ahmed, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2011-12
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ceb.2011.08.006
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Current Opinion in Cell Biology
• ISSN: 0955-0674
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 6
• Start Page: 707
• End Page: 715
• Grant/Funding Information: R.A. was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (Grant AI30048 and Grant AI088575).
• Research Categories: Biology, Cell

Abstract

The target of rapamycin (TOR) is a critical intracellular regulator of the immune system. Recent studies have suggested that immunosuppression by TOR inhibition may be mediated by modulating differentiation of both effector and regulatory CD4 T cell subsets. However, it was paradoxically shown that inhibiting TOR signaling has immunostimulatory effects on the generation of long-lived memory CD8 T cells. Beneficial effects of TOR inhibition have also been observed with dendritic cells and hematopoietic stem cells. This immune modulation may contribute to lifespan extension seen in mice with mTOR inhibition. Here, we review recent findings on TOR modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, and discuss potential applications of regulating TOR to provide longer and healthier immunity.