Abstract
Rapamycin, an inhibitor of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), has the strongest experimental support to date as a potential anti-aging therapeutic in mammals. Unlike many other compounds that have been claimed to influence longevity, rapamycin has been repeatedly tested in long-lived, genetically heterogeneous mice, in which it extends both mean and maximum life spans. However, the mechanism that accounts for these effects is far from clear, and a growing list of side effects make it doubtful that rapamycin would ultimately be beneficial in humans. This Review discusses the prospects for developing newer, safer anti-aging therapies based on analogs of rapamycin (termed rapalogs) or other approaches targeting mTOR signaling.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Aging / drug effects*
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Aging / metabolism
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Aging / pathology
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Animals
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
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Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
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Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
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Autophagy
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Humans
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Metformin / pharmacology
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Metformin / therapeutic use
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Molecular Targeted Therapy
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Neoplasms / prevention & control
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Sirolimus / analogs & derivatives*
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Sirolimus / pharmacology*
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Sirolimus / therapeutic use
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Stem Cells / drug effects
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Stem Cells / metabolism
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TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
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TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
Substances
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents
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Antineoplastic Agents
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Metformin
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TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Sirolimus