Skin L-Tryptophan-2,3-Dioxygenase and Rat Hair Growth

    August 1993 in “ FEBS Letters ”
    Isao Ishiguro, Junko Naito, Kuniaki Saito, Yoichi Nagamura
    The study identified a new enzyme, skin l-tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (skin TDO), in rats, which degrades l-tryptophan into formylkynurenine. The enzyme's activity peaked at 5 to 6 weeks after birth and again at 10 to 11 weeks in depilated rats. Skin TDO shared properties with hepatic TDO but was unaffected by compounds that influence hepatic TDO. The enzyme's molecular weight was similar to hepatic TDO but larger than indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase. Increased skin TDO activity correlated with increased hair growth rates, suggesting its role in hair growth regulation.
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