Tryptophan: Its Metabolism along the Kynurenine, Serotonin, and Indole Pathway in Malignant Melanoma

Abstract

(1) Background: Tryptophan metabolism is known to be one of the important mechanisms used by cancer to evade immune surveillance. Altered tryptophan metabolism was studied in patients with pigmented malignant melanoma confirmed histologically by the anatomic stage grouping for cutaneous melanoma using clinical staging on the basis of the Breslow thickness of the melanoma, the degree of spread to regional lymph nodes, and by the presence of distant metastasis. (2) Methods: Urinary tryptophan metabolites were detected by RP-HPLC method. (3) Results: In the present work, we provided evidence of altered metabolism of all tryptophan pathways in melanoma patients. (4) Conclusions: Knowledge of the shifted serotonin pathway toward DHICA formation and kynurenine pathway shifted toward NAD+ production could serve in the early detection of the disease and the initiation of early treatment of malignant melanoma.

Keywords

• tryptophan
• malignant melanoma
• kynurenine
• kynurenic acid
• 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid
• 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid