Androgens Activate Lipogenesis Through an AKT-Independent mTOR Pathway Stimulation and a Limitation of Autophagy in an Androgen-Sensitive Sebocyte Cell Line

The study demonstrated that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced lipid synthesis and storage in androgen-sensitive sebocytes through the activation of the mTOR pathway, independent of AKT activation. The use of mTOR inhibitors, such as rapamycin and torin, inhibited lipid neosynthesis and storage in DHT-treated cells. Additionally, DHT was shown to decrease autophagic flow as a result of mTOR stimulation. These findings linked mTOR and autophagic processes to androgenic stimulation in sebaceous function and suggested the potential use of mTOR inhibitors to modulate androgen-dependent sebum overproduction.