Insulin and muscle overloading increased Ser2448 phosphorylation in mTOR, whereas muscle unloading decreased it, suggesting a role in protein synthesis control during hypertrophy and atrophy.
Skeletal muscle atrophy and hypertrophy are associated with decreases and increases in mTOR Ser(2448) phosphorylation, respectively, suggesting its role in protein synthesis control.
We have investigated the effects of insulin, amino acids, and the degree of muscle loading on the phosphorylation of Ser(2448), a site in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylated by protein kinase B (PKB) in vitro. Phosphorylation was assessed by immunoblotting with a phosphospecific antibody (anti-Ser(P)(2448)) and with mTAb1, an activating antibody whose binding is inhibited by phosphorylation in the region of mTOR that contains Ser(2448). Incubating rat diaphragm muscles with insulin increased Ser(2448) phosphorylation but did not change the total amount of mTOR. Insulin, but not amino acids, activated PKB, as evidenced by increased phosphorylation of both Ser(308) and Thr(473) in the kinase. Ser(2448) phosphorylation was also modulated by muscle-loading. Overloading the rat plantaris muscle by synergist muscle ablation, which promotes hypertrophy of the plantaris muscle, increased Ser(2448) phosphorylation. In contrast, unloading the gastrocnemius muscle by hindlimb suspension, which promotes atrophy of the muscle, decreased Ser(2448) phosphorylation, an effect that was fully reversible. Neither overloading nor hindlimb suspension significantly changed the total amount of mTOR. In summary, our results demonstrate that atrophy and hypertrophy of skeletal muscle are associated with decreases and increases in Ser(2448) phosphorylation, suggesting that modulation of this site may have an important role in the control of protein synthesis.
Reynolds et al. (2002) studied this question. Insulin and muscle loading/unloading was evaluated on Ser2448 phosphorylation in mTOR. Insulin and muscle overloading increased Ser2448 phosphorylation in mTOR, whereas muscle unloading decreased it, suggesting a role in protein synthesis control during hypertrophy and atrophy.