Decreased serum tryptophan in patients with HIV-1 infection correlates with increased serum neopterin and with neurologic/psychiatric symptoms.
We investigated serum neopterin, tryptophan, and kynurenine concentrations in 23 HIV-1 seropositive patients (Walter Reed Stage 4-6). Ten patients presented with polyneuropathy and three with dementia, one of the patients with dementia also had polyneuropathy and dementia. We found significant associations between lower trytophan concentrations and neurologic/psychiatric symptoms. The negative correlation of tryptophan with kynurenine and neopterin concentrations indicates activity of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in patients. IDO can be induced by cytokines such as interferon-gamma and therefore low tryptophan levels may result from chronic immune stimulation in HIV-1 seropositives.
Fuchs
D
D
Institute of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Möller
A A
AA
Reibnegger
G
G
Stöckle
E
E
Werner
E R
ER
Wachter
H
H
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000097:blood*
D001708:Biopterins; D007737:Kynurenine; D019798:Neopterin; D014364:Tryptophan