Quinolinic Acid (Quinolinate) is a breakdown product of hydroxykynurenine via QPR transferase.
Kynurenic acid and Quinolinic acid are tryptophan metabolites formed through the kynurenine pathway. Tryptophan is the amino acid precursor to serotonin; its major route for catabolism is the kynurenine pathway. Important products of the kynurenine pathway include xanthurenic acid and kynurenic acid, which can further metabolize into quinolinic acid. The historical importance of this pathway has mainly been as a source of the coenzyme NAD+, which is important for all redox reactions in the mitochondria.
However, it is now understood that kynurenic and quinolinic acid have physiologic implications. This alternate pathway is upregulated in response to inflammation and stress, which can lead to deficient serotonin production. Kynurenic acid has shown some neuroprotective properties in the brain, since it can stimulate NMDA receptors. However, its importance on the periphery is still not fully elucidated. Some studies outline antiinflammatory, analgesic, antiatherogenic, antioxidative, and hepatoprotective properties to peripheral kynurenic acid.
The correlation to levels of urinary excretion needs further study. Quinolinic acid, in and of itself, can be inflammatory and neurotoxic.
- Excessive quinolinic acid production has been correlated with other neuroinflammatory markers.
- Increased xanthurenic acid and quinolinic acid, plus a decrease in kynurenic acid seen in ASD cases.
- Phthalates structurally mimic tryptophan metabolites. High phthalate exposure increased urinary concentrations of quinolinic acid.
- Elevated levels of kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, and quinolinic acid were found in patients with metabolic syndrome.
- Decreased picolinic acid and increased quinolinic acid blood levels reported in suicidal subjects.
- Niacin (B3) is a product of tryptophan degradation. In alcoholic pellagra patients, kynurenic acid increased, and xanthurenic acid and quinolinic acid decreased.
References:
- Jeon SW, Kim YK. Inflammation-induced depression: Its pathophysiology and therapeutic implications. J Neuroimmunol. 2017;313:92-98.
- Cosi C, Mannaioni G, Cozzi A, et al. G-protein coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) activation and inflammatory pain: Studies on the antinociceptive effects of kynurenic acid and zaprinast. Neuropharmacology. 2011;60(7-8):1227-1231.
- Pawlak K, Mysliwiec M, Pawlak D. Kynurenine pathway - a new link between endothelial dysfunction and carotid atherosclerosis in chronic kidney disease patients. Adv Med Sci. 2010;55(2):196-203.
- Lugo-Huitron R, Blanco-Ayala T, Ugalde-Muniz P, et al. On the antioxidant properties of kynurenic acid: free radical scavenging activity and inhibition of oxidative stress. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2011;33(5):538-547.
- Bender DA, Njagi EN, Danielian PS. Tryptophan metabolism in vitamin B6-deficient mice. Br J Nutr. 1990;63(1):27-36.
- Rios-Avila L, Coats B, Chi Y-Y, et al. Metabolite Profile Analysis Reveals Association of Vitamin B-6 with Metabolites Related to One-Carbon Metabolism and Tryptophan Catabolism but Not with Biomarkers of Inflammation in Oral Contraceptive Users and Reveals the Effects of Oral Contraceptives on These Processes. J Nutr. 2015;145(1):87-95.
- Brown RR, Yess N, Price JM, Linkswiler H, Swan P, Hankes LV. Vitamin B6 Depletion in Man: Urinary Excretion of Quinolinic Acid and Niacin Metabolites. J Nutr. 1965;87(4):419-423.
- Theofylaktopoulou D, Ulvik A, Midttun Ø, et al. Vitamins B 2 and B 6 as determinants of kynurenines and related markers of interferon-γ-mediated immune activation in the communitybased Hordaland Health Study. Br J Nutr. 2014;112(7):1065-1072.
- Rose D, Toseland P. Urinary excretion of quinolinic acid and other tryptophan metabolites after deoxypyridoxine or oral contraceptive administration. Metabolism. 1973;22(2):165-171.
- Davis I, Liu A. What is the tryptophan kynurenine pathway and why is it important to neurotherapeutics? Expert Rev Neurotherap. 2015;15(7):719-721.
- Schwarcz R, Bruno JP, Muchowski PJ, Wu HQ. Kynurenines in the mammalian brain: when physiology meets pathology. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2012;13(7):465-477.
- Zheng P, Chen JJ, Huang T, et al. A novel urinary metabolite signature for diagnosing major depressive disorder. J Proteome Res. 2013;12(12):5904-5911.
- Oxenkrug G. Serotonin-kynurenine hypothesis of depression: historical overview and recent developments. Curr Drug Targets. 2013;14(5):514-521.
- Rider LG, Schiffenbauer AS, Zito M, et al. Neopterin and quinolinic acid are surrogate measures of disease activity in the juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Clin Chem. 2002;48(10):1681-1688.
The kynurenine pathway is particularly sensitive to vitamin B6 deficiency, which can elevate urinary kynurenic acid (and xanthurenic acid).
Vitamin B2 is also an important vitamin cofactor in the enzymatic conversion reactions within the pathway.
Because a major-end product of this pathway is also NAD+, elevations in kynurenic and quinolinic acid may also reflect vitamin B3 need.
Oral contraceptives and estrogen therapy have been implicated in increasing quinolinic acid excretion both from altered tryptophan metabolism directly, as well as vitamin B6 insufficiency.
Many of the intermediates and products in the kynurenine pathway are implicated in numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases, such as depression. Alterations in this pathway also have some connection to the development of insulin resistance, diabetes, tumor growth and proliferation, and inflammatory myopathies.
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Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
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If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you're on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
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There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
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The Pro Monthly plan is priced at $45 per month and does not include a data entry service. Self-entry is free for an unlimited number of reports, and you can opt for the data entry service at a fee of $15 per report.
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Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We've crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
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Yes, you can download your information anytime. We offer two easy ways to export your lab data:
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Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
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Optimal Result:
0 - 9.1 mmol/mol creatinine.