Is Akt the mastermind behind age-related heart disease?

Over the past several years, the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway has become a central figure in the study of organismal aging. Mutations in components of this pathway have led to enhanced longevity in several organisms, but it is still not clear whether and how this pathway contributes to human aging and aging-related diseases. In a new study, Miyauchi and colleagues propose that Akt, a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase family and a downstream component of the insulin/IGF pathway, plays a central role in the life span of endothelial cells. These findings implicate the insulin/IGF pathway in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.