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Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, mTOR, and the Kidney: Report of an NIDDK-Sponsored Workshop

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Renal Physiology

Published online on

Abstract

Remarkable basic and translational advances have elucidated the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling network in the pathogenesis of renal disease. Many of these advances originated from studies of the genetic disease tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), leading to one of the clearest therapeutic opportunities to target mTOR with rapamycin and its analogs ("Rapalogs"), which effectively inhibit mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) by an allosteric mechanism. Clinical trials based on these discoveries have provided strongly positive therapeutic results in TSC (4, 14, 15) In June 2013, the NIDDK convened a small panel of physicians and scientists working in the field to identify key unknowns and define possible "next steps" in advancing understanding of TSC- and mTOR-dependent renal phenotypes. TSC-associated renal disease, which affects more than 85% of TSC patients, and was a major topic of discussion, focused on angiomyolipomas and epithelial cysts. The third major topic was the role of mTOR and mTOR inhibition in the pathogenesis and therapy of chronic renal disease. Renal cell carcinoma, while recognized as a manifestation of TSC that occurs in a small fraction of patients, was not the primary focus of this workshop, and thus was omitted from panel discussions and from this report.