Molecular dissection of tryptophan metabolism in emotional behavior and its related is diseases.

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Tryptophan (Trp) is metabolized via there major pathways; the serotonergic , transaminergic and kynurenergic (Kyn) pathways, and the Kyn pathway contributes about 95% of Trp metabolism. Therefore it has been thought that the elucidation of the roles of Kyn pathway may unvail the roles of Trp metabolisms in a variety of functions, including emotional behaviors. However, because of the presence of two restriction enzymes in Kyn pathway, it has been limited for the analyses of these enzymes in vivo. Here we have generated TDO-KO mice and elucidated the roles of TDO in (1) tryptophan metabolism in the systemic circulation and brain (2) tryptophan metabolismsincluding NAD in different food conditions (3) higher brain function as well as immunological function and (4) emotional disease.