Genetic and pharmacologic approach to identify genes regulated by mTORC1

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) is a critical regulator of cell growth by integrating multiple signals (nutrients, growth factors, energy and stress) and is frequently deregulated in many types of cancer. We used a robust experimental paradigm involving the combination of two interventions, one genetic and one pharmacologic to identify genes regulated transcriptionally by mTORC1. In Tsc2+/+, but not Tsc2-/- immortalized mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), serum deprivation downregulates mTORC1 activity. In Tsc2-/- cells, abnormal mTORC1 activity can be downregulated by treatment with rapamycin (sirolimus). By contrast, rapamycin has little effect on mTORC1 in Tsc2+/+ cells in which mTORC1 is already inhibited by low serum. Thus, under serum deprived conditions, mTORC1 activity is low in Tsc2+/+ cells (untreated or rapamycin treated), high in Tsc2-/- cells, but lowered by rapamycin; a pattern referred to as a “low/low/high/low” or “LLHL”, which allowed the identification of genes regulated by mTORC1 by performing the appropriate comparisons Mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) wild type or deficient in Tsc2 were treated with 25 nM rapamycin or vehicle (methanol) for 24 h under low serum conditions (0.1% FBS)