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Pharmaceuticals
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Kynurenine Pathway: A Novel Therapeutic Opportunity—2nd Edition
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Kynurenine Pathway: A Novel Therapeutic Opportunity—2nd Edition

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 1201

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Verónica Pérez de la Cruz

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Guest Editor
Neurobiochemistry and Behavior Laboratory, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, Mexico City, Mexico
Interests: kynurenines and bioenergetic; tryptophan catabolism modulation; psychiatric diseases; cognition; neurodegeneration; aging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tonali Blanco-Ayala

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Neurochemistry and Behavior Laboratory, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, Mexico City, Mexico
Interests: kynurenines; glial cells; psychiatric diseases; cognition; neuroimmunology; gut–brain axis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daniela Ramírez-Ortega

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Neurochemistry and Behavior Laboratory, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, Mexico City, Mexico
Interests: kynurenine pathway; metal poisoning; neurodegenerative diseases; neurotoxicity; neurodevelopment; learning and memory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The understanding of tryptophan catabolism through the kynurenine pathway (KP) has advanced and diversified significantly in recent years due to discoveries that have led to a reinterpretation of the relevance of this pathway at the physiological and, in particular, at the pathological level. Emerging evidence has challenged traditional concepts such as the cellular localization of KP enzymes and mechanisms or interactions of the KP metabolites with other molecules. Recent knowledge shows new evidence of the interconnection of kynurenines with several factors, such as the brain–gut axis, redox environment, immune modulation, and cognitive performance, which reinforces the notion of KP modulation as a therapeutic target. This Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals on “Kynurenine Pathway: A Novel Therapeutic Opportunity—2nd Edition” aims to showcase scientific advances from different fields, including basic and clinical studies focusing on the progress of research on the KP. We sincerely invite you to contribute original research articles or reviews that explore the multifaceted roles of the KP in health and disease, and its translational potential in drug development.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Novel regulatory mechanisms of KP enzymes;
  • Kynurenines and inflammation;
  • The KP in cancer, neurodegenerative, metabolic, or infectious diseases;
  • Pharmacological modulation of the KP;
  • KP interactions with microbiota and the brain–gut axis;
  • Oxidative stress and immune responses influenced by KP metabolites.

We look forward to collaborating with you on this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Verónica Pérez de la Cruz
Dr. Tonali Blanco-Ayala
Dr. Daniela Ramírez-Ortega
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tryptophan catabolism
  • redox modulation
  • kynurenines
  • immunoregulation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 832 KB  
Article
Central and Peripheral Characterization of Key Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites in Mexican Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: An Exploratory Study
by Pablo Arturo Acosta Mendez, Graciela Ordoñez, Karla F. Meza-Sosa, Tonali Blanco Ayala, Daniela Ramirez Ortega, Gonzalo Pérez de la Cruz, Dinora F. González Esquivel, Teresita Corona, José Flores Rivera, Verónica Rivas, Paul Carrillo Mora, Carmen Aláez-Verson, Korrapati V. Sathyasaikumar, Saúl Gomez-Manzo, Aleli Salazar, Benjamin Pineda and Verónica Pérez de la Cruz
Pharmaceuticals 2026, 19(3), 513; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19030513 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 775
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder characterized by neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Increasing evidence implies the kynurenine pathway (KP) in the MS pathophysiology; however, data from Mexican populations are lacking. This exploratory study aimed to characterize central and circulating KP [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder characterized by neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Increasing evidence implies the kynurenine pathway (KP) in the MS pathophysiology; however, data from Mexican populations are lacking. This exploratory study aimed to characterize central and circulating KP metabolites in Mexican patients with MS and to investigate potential genetic variants in KP-related genes. Methods: Serum concentrations of kynurenic acid (KYNA) and 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), as well as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of KYNA, quinolinic acid (QUIN), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined in treatment-naïve relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), primary progressive MS (PPMS), and treated PMS patients. Serum levels were compared with those of healthy controls, and CSF findings contrasted with those of non-MS neurological patients and individuals with neurocysticercosis (NCC). Public whole-exome datasets were analyzed for variants in KP-related genes, and target exome sequencing was performed in three Mexican patients with MS. Results: Serum concentrations of KYNA and 3-HK were decreased in MS patients compared with healthy controls. CSF KYNA and QUIN levels did not differ significantly among MS subtypes or the non-MS neurological group, but they were lower than those observed in NCC. IL-4 and IL-6 were detectable in MS CSF samples, supporting the presence of intrathecal inflammation. Genetic and bioinformatic analyses identified variants in genes encoding KP enzymes in both public MS datasets and in Mexican patients with MS. Conclusions: These findings indicate an altered KP metabolism in Mexican MS patients, particularly during the relapse phase, and suggest a possible contribution of genetic variability. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these observations and to determine the functional implications of KP-related genetic variants in MS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Kynurenine Pathway: A Novel Therapeutic Opportunity—2nd Edition)
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