The Kynurenine Metabolic Pathway and the Central Nervous System / 国际脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

The kynurenine metabolic pathway involves in a cascade of enzyme reaction generated multiple biologically-active compounds.These metabolites are called"kynurenines" which participate in diverse pathophysiological processes,particularly in the central nervous system.The kynurenines have important physiological functions.For example.quinolinic acid is an Nmethyl-D-aspartate(NMDA)receptor agonist.and it can be largely accumulated in the central nervous system in many infectious nervous system diseases,resulting in neuronal excitotoxicity and death.Kynurenic acid antagonizes excitatory glutamate receptors to reduce excitotoxicityinduced neuronal death.This article reviews the related researches of the effects of kynurenine metabolic pathway on the central nervous system.