The kynurenine pathway and parasitic infections that affect CNS function

Nicholas H Hunt; Lay Khoon Too; Loke Tim Khaw; Jintao Guo; Leia Hee; Andrew J Mitchell; Georges E Grau; Helen J Ball

doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.029

The kynurenine pathway and parasitic infections that affect CNS function

Neuropharmacology. 2017 Jan;112(Pt B):389-398. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.029. Epub 2016 Feb 26.

Authors

Nicholas H Hunt¹, Lay Khoon Too², Loke Tim Khaw², Jintao Guo², Leia Hee², Andrew J Mitchell², Georges E Grau², Helen J Ball²

Affiliations

¹ Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: Nicholas.hunt@sydney.edu.au.
² Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

PMID: 26924710
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.029

Abstract

The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism has been implicated in brain function, immunoregulation, anti-microbial mechanisms and pregnancy. Some of these actions are due to depletion of tryptophan and others to the formation of biologically active metabolites. This review focuses on the roles of the kynurenine pathway in host responses during two parasitic diseases of major health and economic importance, malaria and toxoplasmosis, with an emphasis on their impacts on CNS function. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Kynurenine Pathway in Health and Disease'.

Keywords: Cerebral malaria; Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase; Interferon-γ; Kynurenine pathway; Malaria; Toxoplasma; Tryptophan.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Central Nervous System Parasitic Infections / metabolism*
Humans
Kynurenine / metabolism*
Metabolic Networks and Pathways*

Substances

Kynurenine