mTORC1 at the Intersection of Aging and Type 2 Diabetes

For the vast majority of patients, type 2 diabetes is caused by the presence of excess visceral fat tissue, and can be reversed even at a late stage by losing that fat tissue. The degree to which one needs to abuse one's own body in order to become diabetic falls with advancing age, however. Aging makes type 2 diabetes more likely to occur, all other factors being equal. Looking at the relationship from the other direction, the chronic inflammation and other forms of metabolic dysfunction characteristic of type 2 diabetes accelerates the progression of aging. The condition shortens life expectancy and is associated with greater incidence of the other common age-related conditions. Researchers here consider mTORC1 as an important regulator of this two-way relationship between aging and type 2 diabetes. The complexes of mTOR, mechanistic target of rapamycin, have become well studied in recent years as a result of research into calorie restriction. mTOR is a master regulator of metabolism, involved in nutrient sensing and most of the subsequent processes that must adapt to varying levels of calorie intake. Inhibition of mTOR, or preferentially only the mTORC1 complex, is a way to partially mimic some of the beneficial results of calorie restriction. It provokes increased activity in stress response mechanisms, and the outcome, in animal studies at least, is improved health and extended healthy life span. Both aging and type 2 diabetes give rise to greater mTORC1 activity,...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs