Tryptophan catabolism and T-cell tolerance: immunosuppression by starvation?

Immunology today ·Vol. 20 ·No. 10 ·1999-10-00 ·Pages 469-73

Mellor AL, Munn DH

Abstract

Some macrophages inhibit microbial infections by producing indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO), which catabolizes tryptophan. Here, Andrew Mellor and David Munn discuss evidence that cells that synthesize IDO protect the mammalian fetus from maternal T-cell attack and argue that this mechanism might have wider implications for the control of T-cell responses.

MeSH Terms

Animals Female Immune Tolerance/physiology Immunity, Cellular Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase Macrophages/immunology,metabolism Maternal-Fetal Exchange/immunology Mice Nitric Oxide Synthase/metabolism Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II Pregnancy T-Lymphocytes/immunology,metabolism Tryptophan/metabolism Tryptophan Oxygenase/biosynthesis,genetics

Chemicals

Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase Tryptophan Tryptophan Oxygenase Nitric Oxide Synthase Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II Nos2 protein, mouse

Authors & Affiliations

2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Mellor A L

Molecular Immunology Program, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA. mellor@immag.mcg.edu

Munn D H

Article Info

Journal

Immunology today

Abbr.

Immunol Today

ISSN

0167-5699

DOI

10.1016/s0167-5699(99)01520-0

mellor@immag.mcg.edu

Published

1999-10-00

Pages

469-73

Language

English

Region

England

NLM ID

8008346

Subset

Corrections

CommentIn

PMID: 10782059

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/s0167-5699(99)01520-0

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Tryptophan catabolism and T-cell tolerance: immunosuppression by starvation?

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