title: Chronic effects of gamma-interferon on quinolinic acid and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase in brain of C57BL6 mice.
abstract: Chronic infections are associated with increased concentrations of the neuroactive kynurenine pathway metabolite, quinolinic acid (QUIN), in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. In the present study, repeated injections of gamma-interferon (5000 IU, every 3 days for 39 days) to C57BL6 mice were associated with persistent activation of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), the first enzyme of the kynurenine pathway, in lung and brain, sustained increases in brain QUIN concentration and increases in plasma L-kynurenine and QUIN levels. Mice chronically treated with gamma-interferon offer an animal model to investigate the effects of sustained immune stimulation on kynurenine pathway metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Section on Analytical Biochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Markey
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Heyes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017378:Quinolinic Acid; D011805:Quinolinic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014366:Tryptophan Oxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; D011805:Quinolinic Acids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007737:Kynurenine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D014366:Tryptophan Oxygenase; D017378:Quinolinic Acid