Tuberous sclerosis complex: Recent advances in manifestations and therapy

Tuberous sclerosis complex is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by generalized involvement and variable manifestations with a birth incidence of 1:6000. In a quarter of a century, significant progress in tuberous sclerosis complex has been made. Two responsible genes, TSC1 and TSC2, which encode hamartin and tuberin, respectively, were discovered in the 1990s, and their functions were elucidated in the 2000s. Hamartin-Tuberin complex is involved in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-protein kinaseB-mammalian target of rapamycin signal transduction pathway, and suppresses mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 activity, which is a center for various functions. Constitutive activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 causes variable manifestations in tuberous sclerosis complex. Recently, genetic tests were launched to diagnose tuberous sclerosis complex, and mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 inhibitors are being used to treat tuberous sclerosis complex patients. As a result of these advances, new diagnostic criteria have been established and an indispensable new treatment method; that is, a cross-sectional medical examination system, a system to involve many experts for tuberous sclerosis complex diagnosis and treatments, was also created. Simultaneously, the frequency of genetic tests and advances in diagnostic technology have resulted in new views on symptoms. The numbers of tuberous sclerosis complex patients without neural symptoms are increasing, and for these patients, renal manifestations and pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis have become important manifestations. New concepts of tuberous sclerosis complex-associated neuropsychiatric disorders or perivascular epithelioid cell tumors are being created. The present review contains a summary of recent advances, significant manifestations and therapy in tuberous sclerosis complex.