AKT1 and hypertrophy: Ribosomal kinase p70S6K, a downstream effector of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, has been reported to play an important role in myocardial hypertrophy.46 Herein, we checked key regulators of this pathway and found that the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTOR and p70S6K were increased in the ISO group and decreased after treatment with 2-APQC, implying that 2-APQC could inactivate p70S6K via the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to protect cardiomyocytes (Fig. 3h).