Kidney and liver kynurenine pathway enzymes in chronic renal failure

It has been suggested that kynurenine pathway may be an important pathological factor during the chronic renal failure (CRF) development. Therefore in the present study, in rats with end-stage of chronic renal failure, we measured the plasma and tissues (kidney and liver) concentrations of tryptophan, kynurenine, 3-hydroxykynurenine. We also evaluated the activity of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase in the liver (TDO), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in kidney (IDO) and kynurenine 3-hydroxylase (HK) in the liver and in the kidney. The plasma and tissues tryptophan concentrations were decreased, whereas the concentrations of its. metabolites increased when compared to control group. The increase in the TDO and 3-HK activity was observed, while IDO activity remains unchanged. In conclusion, the increase in the activity of TDO and HK along with disturbances of renal excreting function may be responsible for the elevation in the kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine concentrations in experimental chronic renal failure.