mTOR/α-ketoglutarate-mediated signaling pathways in the context of brain neurodegeneration and neuroprotection

Olha Kostiuchenko; Iryna Lushnikova; Magdalena Kowalczyk; Galyna Skibo

doi:10.1016/j.bbadva.2022.100066

mTOR/α-ketoglutarate-mediated signaling pathways in the context of brain neurodegeneration and neuroprotection

BBA Adv. 2022 Nov 17:2:100066. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadva.2022.100066. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Olha Kostiuchenko^{1

2}, Iryna Lushnikova¹, Magdalena Kowalczyk², Galyna Skibo¹

Affiliations

¹ Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 01 024 Kyiv, Ukraine.
² Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02 106 Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract

Cerebral disorders are largely associated with impaired cellular metabolism, despite the regulatory mechanisms designed to ensure cell viability and adequate brain function. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is one of the most crucial factors in the regulation of energy homeostasis and its imbalance is linked with a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent advances in the metabolic pathways' modulation indicate the role of α-ketoglutarate (AKG) as a major signaling hub, additionally highlighting its anti-aging and neuroprotective properties, but the mechanisms of its action are not entirely clear. In this review, we analyzed the physiological and pathophysiological aspects of mTOR in the brain. We also discussed AKG's multifunctional properties, as well as mTOR/AKG-mediated functional communications in cellular metabolism. Thus, this article provides a broad overview of the mTOR/AKG-mediated signaling pathways, in the context of neurodegeneration and endogenous neuroprotection, with the aim to find novel therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Aging; Autophagy; Metabolism; Neurodegeneration; Neuroprotection; mTOR; α-ketoglutarate (AKG).