Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34687129›Full record

ReviewThe FEBS journal2023

Tryptophan and its metabolites in normal physiology and cancer etiology.

Lizbeth Perez-Castro, Roy Garcia, Niranjan Venkateswaran, Spencer Barnes, Maralice Conacci-Sorrell

Open access · greenAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in The FEBS journal, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 66 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
66citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

66 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 104 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Use of Mendelian Randomization to Unveil Metabolic Markers inJournal of Korean medical science · 2026
    Pooled it
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  3. Review
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  9. Stage-Dependent Changes in Kynurenine Pathway Enzyme Expression Suggest Immune-Related Involvement in Bladder Cancer Progression.International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association · 2026
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6 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Lizbeth Perez-CastroDepartment of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7281-2233
Roy GarciaDepartment of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Niranjan VenkateswaranDepartment of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Spencer BarnesLyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Maralice Conacci-SorrellDepartment of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4371-5087
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · USSouthwestern Medical Center · US

Funding

MECHANISMS OF DRUG ACTION AND DISPOSITIONT32GM007062 · NIGMS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI MANGELSDORF, DAVID J · 1985 to 2020
$7.4M
The kynurenine-AHR pathway in biomass production - Revision - 2R01CA245548 · NCI · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI CONACCI-SORRELL, MARALICE · 2020 to 2024
$2.2M
Mechanisms of Disease and Translational ScienceT32GM131945 · NIGMS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI Thomas Joseph Carroll · 2019 to 2026
$1.7M
Uncovering novel players in nucleolar organization and function - Equipment SupplementR01GM145744 · NIGMS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI CONACCI-SORRELL, MARALICE · 2022 to 2025
$1.6M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA245548NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM145744NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM007062NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM131945
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Within the growing field of amino acid metabolism, tryptophan (Trp) catabolism is an area of increasing interest. Trp is essential for protein synthesis, and its metabolism gives rise to biologically active catabolites including serotonin and numerous metabolites in the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway. In normal tissues, the production of Trp metabolites is directly regulated by the tissue-specific expression of Trp-metabolizing enzymes. Alterations of these enzymes in cancers can shift the balance and lead to an increased production of specific byproducts that can function as oncometabolites. For example, increased expression of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, which converts Trp into Kyn, leads to an increase in Kyn levels in numerous cancers. Kyn functions as an oncometabolite in cancer cells by promoting the activity of the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor, which regulates progrowth genes. Moreover, Kyn also inhibits T-cell activity and thus allows cancer cells to evade clearance by the immune system. Therefore, targeting the Kyn pathway has become a therapeutic focus as a novel means to abrogate tumor growth and immune resistance. This review summarizes the biological role and regulation of Trp metabolism and its catabolites with an emphasis on tumor cell growth and immune evasion and outlines areas for future research focus.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsTryptophanHumansIndoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-DioxygenaseKynurenineT-LymphocytesTryptophan OxygenaseIndoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-DioxygenaseKynurenineTryptophanTryptophan OxygenaseAHRcancerIDO1immune evasionkynurenineproliferationTDO2tryptophan

Identifiers

PMID34687129
PMCPMC9883803
OpenAlexW3205925517

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.