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Inflammation in cancer and depression: a starring role for the kynurenine pathway.

ABSTRACT: Depression is a common comorbidity in cancer cases, but this is not only due to the emotional distress of having a life-threatening disease. A common biological mechanism, involving a dysregulated immune system, seems to underpin this comorbidity. In particular, the activation of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation due to inflammation may play a key role in the development and persistence of both diseases. As a consequence, targeting enzymes involved in this pathway offers a unique opportunity to develop new strategies to treat cancer and depression at once. In this work, we provide a systematic review of the evidence up to date on the kynurenine pathway role in linking depression and cancer and on clinical implications of this evidence. In particular, complications due to chemotherapy are discussed, as well as the potential antidepressant efficacy of novel immunotherapies for cancer.

SUBMITTER: Sforzini L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6820591 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Inflammation in cancer and depression: a starring role for the kynurenine pathway.

Sforzini Luca L Nettis Maria Antonietta MA Mondelli Valeria V Pariante Carmine Maria CM

Psychopharmacology 20190226 10

Depression is a common comorbidity in cancer cases, but this is not only due to the emotional distress of having a life-threatening disease. A common biological mechanism, involving a dysregulated immune system, seems to underpin this comorbidity. In particular, the activation of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation due to inflammation may play a key role in the development and persistence of both diseases. As a consequence, targeting enzymes involved in this pathway offers a unique ...[more]

PMID: 30806743

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Associations among peripheral and central kynurenine pathway metabolites and inflammation in depression.

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| S-EPMC7162907 | biostudies-literature

Ketamine's effect on inflammation and kynurenine pathway in depression: A systematic review.

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Understanding the role of the kynurenine pathway in human breast cancer immunobiology.

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The role of kynurenine pathway and kynurenic aminotransferase alleles in postpartum depression following cesarean section in Chinese women.

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Upregulated Kynurenine Pathway Enzymes in Aortic Atherosclerotic Aneurysm: Macrophage Kynureninase Downregulates Inflammation.

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| S-EPMC8592691 | biostudies-literature

Differentiation of viral and autoimmune central nervous system inflammation by kynurenine pathway.

Project description:ObjectiveTo determine whether the metabolites of Kynurenine pathway (KP) could serve as biomarkers for distinguishing between viral CNS infections and autoimmune neuroinflammatory diseases, especially anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDARE) and herpes virus encephalitis (HSE).MethodsThis study enrolled CSF samples from 76 patients with viral CNS infections, autoimmune neuroinflammatory, and non-inflammatory neurological diseases. We measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of tryptophan (Trp) and kynurenine (Kyn) by ELISA.ResultsKyn concentrations and Kyn/Trp ratios were highly increased (p < 0.001, viral vs. autoimmune) in viral CNS infections, whereas patients with autoimmune neuroinflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases exhibited low concentrations. Furthermore, Kyn concentrations and Kyn/Trp ratio turned out to be excellent biomarkers to distinguish between herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) and NMDARE (AUC 0.920 and AUC 0.906), whereas Trp concentrations were similar in all three groups.InterpretationThe results suggest that elevated CSF Kyn concentrations and Kyn/Trp ratio may serve as biomarkers for distinguishing viral CNS infections from autoimmune neuroinflammatory diseases. In particular, the distinction between HSE and NMDARE is of great clinical relevance. Further studies are warranted to investigate the potential of CSF Kyn levels and Kyn/Trp ratio as routine parameters in patients with CNS diseases.

| S-EPMC8670317 | biostudies-literature

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| S-EPMC8747024 | biostudies-literature

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