Prevention of allogeneic fetal rejection by tryptophan catabolism

David H. Munn, Min Zhou, John T. Attwood, Igor Bondarev, Simon J. Conway, Brendan Marshall, Corrie Brown, Andrew L. Mellor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2221 Scopus citations

Abstract

In 1953 Medawar pointed out that survival of the genetically disparate (allogeneic) mammalian conceptus contradicts the laws of tissue transplantation. Rapid T cell-induced rejection of all allogeneic concepti occurred when pregnant mice were treated with a pharmacologic inhibitor of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a tryptophan-catabolizing enzyme expressed by trophoblasts and macrophages. Thus, by catabolizing tryptophan, the mammalian conceptus suppresses T cell activity and defends itself against rejection.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1191-1193
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume281
Issue number5380
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 21 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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