Marta Chesi, Francesca La Rosa, Francesca De Nicola, P. Leif Bergsagel, Giovanni Tonon, Aristide Floridi, Elena Lesma, Tiziana Bruno, Frauke Goeman, Claudio Passananti, Gianluca Bossi, Vincenzo Federico, Maurizio Fanciulli, Valeria Catena, Maria Teresa Petrucci, Maria Rosaria Ricciardi, Cristina Sorino, Tiziana Castrignanò, Paolo D'Onorio De Meo, Maurilio Ponzoni, Giovanni Blandino, Francesco Pisani, Simona Iezzi, Agata Desantis, Desantis, Agata, Bruno, Tiziana, Catena, Valeria, De Nicola, Francesca, Goeman, Frauke, Iezzi, Simona, Sorino, Cristina, Ponzoni, Maurilio, Bossi, Gianluca, Federico, Vincenzo, La Rosa, Francesca, Ricciardi, Maria Rosaria, Lesma, Elena, De Meo, Paolo D'Onorio, Castrignanò, Tiziana, Petrucci, Maria Teresa, Pisani, Francesco, Chesi, Marta, Bergsagel, P Leif, Floridi, Aristide, Tonon, Giovanni, Passananti, Claudio, Blandino, Giovanni, and Fanciulli, Maurizio
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key protein kinase that regulates cell growth, metabolism, and autophagy to maintain cellular homeostasis. Its activity is inhibited by adverse conditions, including nutrient limitation, hypoxia, and DNA damage. In this study, we demonstrate that Che-1, a RNA polymerase II-binding protein activated by the DNA damage response, inhibits mTOR activity in response to stress conditions. We found that, under stress, Che-1 induces the expression of two important mTOR inhibitors, Redd1 and Deptor, and that this activity is required for sustaining stress-induced autophagy. Strikingly, Che-1 expression correlates with the progression of multiple myeloma and is required for cell growth and survival, a malignancy characterized by high autophagy response.