mTOR signaling in glioblastoma: lessons learned from bench to bedside

Phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinases (PI3Ks) constitute a family of intracellular lipid kinases that are frequently hyperactivated in glioblastoma. The PI3K complex links growth factor signaling with cellular proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, and survival. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) acts both as a downstream effector and upstream regulator of PI3K, thus highlighting its importance in glioblastoma. This review highlights laboratory and clinical evidence of mTOR's role in glioblastoma. Mechanisms of escape from mTOR inhibition are also discussed, as well as future clinical strategies of mTOR inhibition.