title: Kynurenine pathway metabolism in human astrocytes.
abstract: The involvement of astrocytes in Kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolism is still poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the ability of human fetal astrocytes in vitro to produce quinolinic and picolinic acids using mass spectrometry. In parallel, we estimated the level of expression of five major KP enzymes using RT-PCR. The results demonstrated that astrocytes express most KP enzymes, except for kynurenine-hydroxylase. This in vitro study provides novel informations regarding the ability of human fetal astrocytes to degrade L-tryptophan along the KP.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunology, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. G.Guillemin@cfi.UNSW.EDU.au
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Guillemin
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Smythe
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Armati
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Brew
mesh_terms: D050561:3-Hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-Dioxygenase; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D049308:Dioxygenases; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000378:metabolism*; D050601:Kynurenine 3-Monooxygenase; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics; D010430:Pentosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D017378:Quinolinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014366:Tryptophan Oxygenase / Q000235:genetics; D000098553:Nicotinate-Nucleotide Diphosphorylase (Carboxylating)
chemical_list: D010848:Picolinic Acids; D007737:Kynurenine; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D010105:Oxygenases; D049308:Dioxygenases; D014366:Tryptophan Oxygenase; D050561:3-Hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-Dioxygenase; D050601:Kynurenine 3-Monooxygenase; D010430:Pentosyltransferases; D000098553:Nicotinate-Nucleotide Diphosphorylase (Carboxylating); D006867:Hydrolases; C021480:kynureninase; D017378:Quinolinic Acid; C030614:picolinic acid