Cholesterol activation of mTORC1

I have not been thinking much about Cholesterol activation of mTOR1. But then I came across these works, and I now try to make sense if it. How important are cholesterols for the activation of mTORC1? Cholesterol also advance mTORC1 activation by insulin. Cholesterol is not only a driver of arterial disease but also a driver of mTOR1 activation. I have no preconceived view about the importance of these findings, and I am happy to hear your thoughts about the subject.

AI gave me one summery:

“In summary, cholesterol not only activates mTORC1 but also plays a critical role in integrating various nutrient signals to regulate cellular growth and metabolism effectively.”

Cholesterol facilitates the recruitment of mTORC1 to the surface of lysosomes. This process is mediated by the Rag GTPases, which are essential for mTORC1 activation in response to nutrient signals, including cholesterol.

The lysosomal transmembrane protein SLC38A9 is crucial for this activation. It allows cholesterol to signal mTORC1 independently from amino acids, indicating that cholesterol acts as a nutrient input that enhances mTORC1 signaling

ER–lysosome contacts enable cholesterol sensing by mTORC1 and drive aberrant growth signalling in Niemann–Pick type C | Nature Cell Biology

Cholesterol regulates insulin-induced mTORC1 signaling | Journal of Cell Science | The Company of Biologists

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Interesting. Not surprising. Doesn’t change the bottom Line of keeping cholesterol levels low.