title: Electrochemical and in vitro evaluation of the redox-properties of kynurenine species.
abstract: Kynurenines are formed as part of the tryptophan metabolism and are known to exhibit pro- and anti-oxidant activities in vitro. The mapping of these biological redox-systems and identification of potential in vivo targets are therefore of great interest in cellular physiology. Here the redox-behavior of different kynurenines and anthranilic acids is evaluated electrochemically and compared to that of simple model compounds. Electrochemical results are correlated with the activity of these compounds in redox-bioassays where 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and 3-hydroxykynurenine have significant redox-activity. The specific electrochemical redox-behavior of these two compounds, indicating a particular redox-mechanism involving the hydroxyl group, can be used to rationalize these findings. The results indicate that tryptophan metabolites can undergo a range of complex redox-reactions in vivo whose precise nature critically depends on structural details. As a consequence, some of the kynurenines have the potential to contribute to neuronal damage in brain disorders and stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QD, UK.
authors.forename: Gregory I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: Catriona A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Trevor W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacob
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates; D007737:Kynurenine