The kynurenine metabolic pathway in the eye: studies on 3‐hydroxykynurenine, a putative cataractogenic compound

FEBS Letters

Chiarugi, Alberto²  Moroni, Fulvio³  Moroni, Flavio²  Rapizzi, Emilio¹ 

[1] Emory Eye Center, 1365B Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;Department of Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology, Viale Pieraccini 6, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;Ophthalmology Clinic, Viale Morgagni 85, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

关键词: Tryptophan metabolism;    Kynurenine;    Lens;    Iris/ciliary body;    Cataract;    3-Hydroxykynurenine;    Kynurenine hydroxylase;    ANA;    anthranilic acid;    3OHANA;    3-hydroxyanthranilic acid;    KYN;    kynurenine;    KYNA;    kynurenic acid;    3OHKYN;    3-hydroxykynurenine;    XANT;    xanthurenic acid;    QUIN;    quinolinic acid;    TRP;    tryptophan;    IDO;    indoleamine 2;    3-dioxygenase;    KH;    kynurenine hydroxylase;    KASE;    kynureninase;    KAT;    kynurenine aminotransferase;    mNBA;    (m-nitrobenzoyl)-alanine;    Ro 61-8048;    3;    4-dimethoxy-[N-4-(3-nitrophenyl) thiazol-2-yl]-benzenesulfonamide;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(99)00724-3

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

The rabbit lens has an elevated content of 3-hydroxykynurenine (3OHKYN) in spite of a very low activity of the enzymes leading to its synthesis. The iris/ciliary body, on the contrary, has very high activity of 3OHKYN synthesizing enzymes but a content of 3OHKYN lower than that of the lens. These observations suggest that 3OHKYN is formed in the iris/ciliary body, released into the aqueous humor and then taken up into the lens where it may be used for the synthesis of UV filtering products. An excessive accumulation of 3OHKYN in the lens has been associated with cataract formation. We found that available selective inhibitors of kynurenine hydroxylase reduced 3OHKYN synthesis in both the lens and the iris/ciliary body.

【 授权许可】

Unknown