Simultaneous determination of tryptophan and kynurenine in serum by HPLC with UV and fluorescence detection.
Tryptophan metabolism is disturbed in mental depression, and the induction of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase increases kynurenine production. In order to determine this disturbance in patients with chronic hepatitis C and receiving interferon-based immunotherapy, a new and specific HPLC protocol was elaborated. For tryptophan, the assay was linear from 6.25 to 100 micromol L(-1), and the limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) for the method were 0.7 and 8.0 micromol L(-1). For kynurenine, the linearity of calibration was from 0.0625 to 6.25 micromol L(-1), with LOD and LOQ of 2 and 3 nmol L(-1). Reproducibility and repeatability were satisfactory. The method allowed study of human blood serum.
Vignau
J
J
CITD, Service d'Addictologie de la Clinique de Psychiatrie, CHRU, Lille, France. mlhermitte@chru-lille.fr
Jacquemont
M-C
MC
Lefort
A
A
Imbenotte
M
M
Lhermitte
M
M
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000097:blood*; D011786:Quality Control; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000097:blood*
D007737:Kynurenine; D014364:Tryptophan