Description: This F11 monoclonal antibody reacts with human, mouse, and rat mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). This 289-kDa serine/threonine kinase is activated via phosphorylation at Ser2448 by the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in response to growth factors, energy, nutrients, and stress. mTOR is highly conserved amongst eukaryotes and constitutively expressed in immune (e.g. T, B, NK, dendritic cells, mast cells, and neutrophils) and non-immune tissues (e.g. heart). mTOR exists as a member of two distinct complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which have differing sensitivities to rapamycin and phosphorylation targets. Rapamycin inhibits mTOR activity by binding FKBP12, which causes dissociation of mTORC1 and mTORC2. This molecule plays a critical role in cell metabolism, survival, dendritic cell maturation and activation, and protein synthesis. Deregulation of mTOR has been implicated in a variety of cancers. Studies have also suggested a role for mTOR in Foxp3 expression and regulatory T cell differentiation.
