Figure 1
From: The common inflammatory etiology of depression and cognitive impairment: a therapeutic target
Simplified depiction of tryptophan breakdown in the kynurenine pathway. Tryptophan (TRP) that is not transported across the blood brain barrier (BBB) for the synthesis of serotonin (5-HT) is degraded into kynurenine (KYN) by the enzymes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO). After this point, KYN is further degraded along one of two distinct branches; either the kynurenine-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (KYN-NAD) branch, or the kyneine-kynurenic acid (KYN-KYNA) branch. Within the KYN-NAD branch, KYN is acted on by the enzyme kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) whereby it is converted to 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) and later quinolinic acid (QUIN) via a spontaneous reaction (and ultimately NAD+). Within the KYN-KYNA branch, KYN is acted on by the enzyme kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) whereby it is converted to kynurenic acid (KYNA).