title: Immunosuppression routed via the kynurenine pathway: a biochemical and pathophysiologic approach.
abstract: In the past years, it has been shown that kynurenines pathway is a regulator of both the innate and the adaptive immune responses. Particularly, the initial enzyme of this pathway, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), is implicated in maintaining tolerance during pregnancy, and also can be expressed in tumors to avoid the immune attack. In this chapter, we will describe how the kynurenine pathway affects the immune system with important implications both in physiology and in pathology. The incorrect activation or blockade suppressive properties of the kynurenine pathway are also implicated in a number of other diseases such as AIDS or autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, University Clinic of Navarra, Avda Pio XII 36, Pamplona 31008, Spain.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Nerea
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Varo
authors.forename: Estibaliz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alegre
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melero
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; D007737:Kynurenine