Advances in mTORC1 in myocardium ischemia/reperfusion injury

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a conservative and atypical serine/threonine kinase which exerts its main functions through 2 different multi-protein complexes, named mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2) respectively. Recent studies have demonstrated that mTORC1 plays a pivotal cardioprotective role in phase of myocardial ischemia as well as reperfusion through modulating autophagy, activation of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) and upregulation of antioxidant genes. This article reviews the structure of mTOR complexes and the pivotal role of mTORC1 signaling during the injury process of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion respectively.