Effects of tryptophan metabolites on IFN-induced depressive symptoms

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The therapy for chronic hepatitis C (HCV) using interferon is currently recommended, however, psychiatric disorders such as depression are frequent in HCV patients during the therapy. Many researchers propose indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) 1, which is one of first rate-limiting enzyme of the kynurenine pathway, and IDO1-mediated tryptophan (TRP) metabolites be implicated in the development of IFN-induced depression. In this study, we measured TRP and its metabolites and investigated correlations between TRP metabolites and depression induced by IFN therapy. Following IFN therapy, the concentration of serum TRP was reduced, while some TRP metabolites were increased, then returned to baseline values after the end of the therapy. The ratio of TRP and metabolites were significantly increased under the therapy, especially with depression. We speculate that the indexing, combination between some TRP metabolites, is effective in prediction of the depression induced by IFN therapy.