# mTOR signaling in lung homeostasis, aging and disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $486,787

## Abstract

Abstract
 Uncontrolled activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a cause of pulmonary
lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a predominantly female, rare genetic lung disease triggered by bi-allelic
inactivating mutations in the mTOR’s upstream negative regulator the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC1/TSC2)
genes. The loss of TSC2 function and mTOR activation are associated with formation of microscopic smooth
muscle-like LAM lesions and lung cysts - leading to spontaneous pneumothoraxes and progressive loss of
pulmonary function primarily in women. Our lab pioneered the idea of using mTOR inhibitory drugs for LAM.
Unfortunately, targeting mTOR with FDA-approved drugs Sirolimus or Everolimus (rapamycin) only delays the
disease progression while causing lasting side effects in up to 60% of women. In addition, even with current
treatment, some LAM patients are unresponsive to the rapalogs. Thus, despite significant progress, key
unanswered questions remain, including: 1) how do only ~5% of the lung cells, which are bonafide “LAM cells”
carrying genetic TSC2 mutations and mTOR activation, promote cystic remodeling of the whole lung? 2) what is
the role of estrogen in making LAM a predominantly female disease? and 3) why is the risk of LAM is age-
dependent?
 The objective of this proposal is to test our overarching hypothesis that mTOR activation in LAM cells
deregulates their secretome and alters lung mesenchymal-epithelial crosstalk. We will explore whether sex
predilection and pregnancies exacerbate these changes accelerating lung function decline in females. Our
translational hypothesis states that anti-estrogen therapy represents a potential opportunity for fast tracking this
hypothesis to benefit predominantly female LAM patients. The proposed study will yield essential new insights
into the role of TSC2-dependent mTOR activation and estrogen on age-dependent lung structure and function
with specific focus on a rare, predominantly female lung disease LAM. We will also perform preclinical anti-
estrogen studies to explore future prospects for novel adjuvant therapeutic approaches for LAM in clinic.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9943361
- **Project number:** 1R01HL151467-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** VERA P KRYMSKAYA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $486,787
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-15 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9943361

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9943361, mTOR signaling in lung homeostasis, aging and disease (1R01HL151467-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9943361. Licensed CC0.

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