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    Science. 1998 Aug 21;281(5380):1191-3.

    Prevention of allogeneic fetal rejection by tryptophan catabolism.

    Munn DH, Zhou M, Attwood JT, Bondarev I, Conway SJ, Marshall B, Brown C, Mellor AL.

    Program in Molecular Immunology, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.

    Comment in:

    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.

    PMID: 9712583 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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