Mechanisms mediating the effects of alcohol and HIV anti-retroviral agents on mTORC1, mTORC2 and protein synthesis in myocytes

Figure 2 Proposed model for regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 by EtOH and human immunodeficiency virus antiretroviral drug lopinavir. EtOH and lopinavir (LPV) increase eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) phosphorylation and inactivate this protein. This process is directly mediated by increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity. EtOH reduces eEF2 function owing to decreased protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity, while LPV regulates this process by increasing eEF2 kinase (eEF2K) activity. mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin.