The emerging roles of IDO2 in cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target

Abstract

During the past decades, tryptophan metabolism disorder was discovered to play a vital and complex role in the development of cancer. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (IDO2) is one of the initial and rate-limiting enzymes of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan catabolism. Increasing evidence indicates that IDO2 is upregulated in some tumors and plays a role in the development of cancer. In spite of the growing body of research, few reviews focused on the role of IDO2 in cancer. Here, we review the emerging knowledge on the roles of IDO2 in cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target. Firstly, the main biological features and regulatory mechanisms are reviewed, after which we focus on the expression and roles of IDO2 in cancer. Finally, we discuss the potential of IDO2 as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

Keywords: 2,3-dioxygenase 2/IDO2; Cancer immunotherapy; Indoleamine; Kynurenine pathway; Therapeutic target; Tryptophan metabolism.