Description
Product Characteristics: IDO catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in the main pathway of human tryptophan catabolism, the kynurenine pathway. Proinflammatory mediators, such as endotoxin and IFN-gamma induce the expression of IDO in several tissues. IDO-dependent suppression of T-cell responses might function as natural immunoregulatory mechanism. Physiological IDO activity has been implicated in T-cell tolerance to tumors, dysfunctional selftolerance in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, and as a protective negative regulator in autoimmune disorders.
Target Information: This gene encodes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) - a heme enzyme that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in tryptophan catabolism to N-formyl-kynurenine. This enzyme acts on multiple tryptophan substrates including D-tryptophan, L-tryptophan, 5-hydroxy-tryptophan, tryptamine, and serotonin. This enzyme is thought to play a role in a variety of pathophysiological processes such as antimicrobial and antitumor defense, neuropathology, immunoregulation, and antioxidant activity. Through its expression in dendritic cells, monocytes, and macrophages this enzyme modulates T-cell behavior by its peri-cellular catabolization of the essential amino acid tryptophan.[provided by RefSeq, Feb 2011]