The Regulatory Effects of mTOR Complexes in the Differentiation and Function of CD4⁺ T Cell Subsets

Figure 1

mTOR signaling pathway and its functions. After receiving the extracellular signals, including glucose, amino acids, or growth factor, a series of signaling molecules (Ras, PI3K, AKT, and so on) upstream of mTORC1 are activated; then, mTORC1 and its downstream molecules are activated to regulate a series of cellular processes, such as protein synthesis, autophagy, and mitochondrial metabolism. How mTORC2 is regulated has not been thoroughly studied. mTORC2 mainly regulates cell survival, metabolism, and cytoskeleton organization through SGK1 and PKCα, respectively. mTORC1 and mTORC2 are linked through AKT.