Kynurenine Aminotransferase in Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Nicotinic acid is used in the treatment of atherosclerosis for its hypolipidemic effects (Kritchevsky, 1971; Levy, 1980; Grundy et al., 1981; Altschul et al., 1995), which reduce triglycerides and also cholesterol. In mammals, nicotinic acid derives from the metabolism of tryptophan along the kynurenine pathway. But kynurenine can also be metabolized to kynurenic acid by means of kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT). An abnormal activity of this enzyme should reduce kynurenine and consequently the biosynthesis in nicotinic acid.