Tryptophan degradation in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Tryptophan degradation in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus.

Biol Chem Hoppe Seyler. 1988 May;369(5):337-40. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/89000192
Werner ER; Fuchs D; Hausen A; Jaeger H; Reibnegger G; Werner-Felmayer G; Dierich MP; Wachter H; Institut fur Medizinische Chemie und Biochemie, Universitat; Innsbruck.

Abstract: Tryptophan and kynurenine were measured retrospectively in sera of 11 male patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (Walter Reed stages 4 and 6). Tryptophan levels are significantly reduced to less than 50% in patients with HIV infection and kynurenine levels significantly elevated when compared to sex and age matched controls. The decrease of tryptophan levels might contribute to neurologic symptoms often associated with HIV infection. Since interferon-gamma induces degradation of tryptophan via the kynurenine pathway, the present results may be consistent with enhanced endogenous production of interferon-gamma in advanced HIV infection.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*BLOOD Adult Biopterin/ANALOGS & DERIVATIVES/BLOOD Comparative Study Human Kynurenine/BLOOD Male Reference Values Retrospective Studies Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Tryptophan/*BLOOD JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDbloodadultbiopterin/analogs&derivatives/bloodcomparativestudyhumankynurenine/bloodmalereferencevaluesretrospectivestudiessupport,non-uKWDsKWDgov'ttryptophan/KWDbloodjournalarticle
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M8910517

Copyright © 1989 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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