Journal
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
Volume 90, Issue 2, Pages 230-245Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2009.04.005
Keywords
Excitotoxicity; 3-Hydroxykynurenine; Kynurenines; Microglia; Neuroprotection
Categories
Funding
- NIA NIH HHS [P01 AG022074, AG22074, P01 AG022074-060007] Funding Source: Medline
- NICHD NIH HHS [P01 HD016596, P01 HD016596-240012] Funding Source: Medline
- NINDS NIH HHS [R01 NS057715-02, R01 NS016102, R01 NS057715, R01 NS016102-25, R01 NS028236, NS47237, R01 NS047237, R01 NS028236-10, NS57715] Funding Source: Medline
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The neurodegenerative disease Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tract in the protein huntingtin (htt). Although the gene encoding htt was identified and cloned more than 15 years ago, and in spite of impressive efforts to unravel the mechanism(s) by which mutant htt induces nerve cell death, these studies have so far not led to a good understanding of pathophysiology or an effective therapy. Set against a historical background, we review data supporting the idea that metabolites of the kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation provide a critical link between mutant htt and the pathophysiology of HD. New studies in HD brain and genetic model organisms suggest that the disease may in fact be causally related to early abnormalities in KP metabolism, favoring the formation of two neurotoxic metabolites, 3-hydroxykynurenine and quinolinic acid, over the related neuroprotective agent kynurenic acid. These findings not only link the excitotoxic hypothesis of HD pathology to an impairment of the KP but also define new drug targets and therefore have direct therapeutic implications. Thus, pharmacological normalization of the imbalance in brain KP metabolism may provide clinical benefits, which could be especially effective in early stages of the disease. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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