Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase: An important medium with the role of a double-edged sword in various liver diseases / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an important immunoregulatory enzyme, which can degrade the level of the mammalian essential amino acid tryptophan (TRP), catalyze the initiation and rate-limiting steps through the kynurenine pathway, and produce a variety of metabolites to participate in the immune response. On the one hand, IDO plays an immunosuppressive role in microenvironment and thus leads to infection and immune escape of tumor cells; on the other hand, IDO also exerts an inhibitory effect on the pathogens such as bacteria and parasites and thus protects the body from the harm of pathogens to a certain extent. Therefore, IDO is considered an important medium with the role of a double-edged sword in the development and progression of various liver diseases. This article reviews the latest research advances in IDO in viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and hepatic echinococcosis.