Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2015; 63(07): 618-623
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1393704
Review Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Immune-Mediated Metabolic Kynurenine Pathways Are Involved in the Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction after Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Shuang Qiang Yi
1   Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Province, China
,
Mi Yang
1   Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Province, China
,
Kai Ming Duan
1   Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Province, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

23 April 2014

22 August 2014

Publication Date:
20 April 2015 (online)

Abstract

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after cardiopulmonary bypass is a serious complication that can lead to personality changes, memory loss, reduction in the ability to learn, and other central nervous system dysfunctions. In recent years, there have been improvements in measures to protect the brain during surgery, although the incidence of cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery remains high (33 to 83% short-term and 20 to 60% long-term cognitive dysfunction). Despite the large amount of basic and clinical research on the incidence of POCD, its exact pathogenesis and complexity are not clear. Many studies have shown that the kynurenine pathway (KP) and cognitive function in humans are closely related. Some reports also show that the imbalance of some metabolites of the KP such as kynurenic acid and quinolinic acid (QUIN), which act in dynamic equilibrium under physiologic conditions, have effects on the central nervous system and can significantly affect cognitive function. Further studies have shown that inflammatory mediators may act on key enzymes of the KP causing KP-induced disorders. Severe inflammatory reaction occurs in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass, which triggers metabolic pathways that are closely related to changes in cognitive function. In this review, we summarize that inflammation-induced metabolic kynurenine (KYN) pathway disorders are likely to have an important role in incidence of POCD after CPB surgery.

 
  • References

  • 1 Rodgers J, Stone TW, Barrett MP, Bradley B, Kennedy PG. Kynurenine pathway inhibition reduces central nervous system inflammation in a model of human African trypanosomiasis. Brain 2009; 132 (Pt 5) 1259-1267
  • 2 Fukui S, Schwarcz R, Rapoport SI, Takada Y, Smith QR. Blood-brain barrier transport of kynurenines: implications for brain synthesis and metabolism. J Neurochem 1991; 56 (6) 2007-2017
  • 3 Németh H, Toldi J, Vécsei L. Role of kynurenines in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Curr Neurovasc Res 2005; 2 (3) 249-260
  • 4 Lugo-Huitrón R, Ugalde Muñiz P, Pineda B, Pedraza-Chaverrí J, Ríos C, Pérez-de la Cruz V. Quinolinic acid: an endogenous neurotoxin with multiple targets. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2013; 2013: 104024
  • 5 Guillemin GJ, Kerr SJ, Brew BJ. Involvement of quinolinic acid in AIDS dementia complex. Neurotox Res 2005; 7 (1–2) 103-123
  • 6 Kerr SJ, Armati PJ, Guillemin GJ, Brew BJ. Chronic exposure of human neurons to quinolinic acid results in neuronal changes consistent with AIDS dementia complex. AIDS 1998; 12 (4) 355-363
  • 7 Braidy N, Grant R, Adams S, Brew BJ, Guillemin GJ. Mechanism for quinolinic acid cytotoxicity in human astrocytes and neurons. Neurotox Res 2009; 16 (1) 77-86
  • 8 Eastman CL, Guilarte TR. The role of hydrogen peroxide in the in vitro cytotoxicity of 3-hydroxykynurenine. Neurochem Res 1990; 15 (11) 1101-1107
  • 9 Lee MW, Park SC, Chae HS , et al. The protective role of HSP90 against 3-hydroxykynurenine-induced neuronal apoptosis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2001; 284 (2) 261-267
  • 10 Shepard PD, Joy B, Clerkin L, Schwarcz R. Micromolar brain levels of kynurenic acid are associated with a disruption of auditory sensory gating in the rat. Neuropsychopharmacology 2003; 28 (8) 1454-1462
  • 11 Erhardt S, Schwieler L, Emanuelsson C, Geyer M. Endogenous kynurenic acid disrupts prepulse inhibition. Biol Psychiatry 2004; 56 (4) 255-260
  • 12 Wu HQ, Pereira EF, Bruno JP, Pellicciari R, Albuquerque EX, Schwarcz R. The astrocyte-derived alpha7 nicotinic receptor antagonist kynurenic acid controls extracellular glutamate levels in the prefrontal cortex. J Mol Neurosci 2010; 40 (1–2) 204-210
  • 13 Zwilling D, Huang SY, Sathyasaikumar KV , et al. Kynurenine 3-monooxygenase inhibition in blood ameliorates neurodegeneration. Cell 2011; 145 (6) 863-874
  • 14 Heyes MP. The kynurenine pathway and neurologic disease. Therapeutic strategies. Adv Exp Med Biol 1996; 398: 125-129
  • 15 Simon RP, Swan JH, Griffiths T, Meldrum BS. Blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors may protect against ischemic damage in the brain. Science 1984; 226 (4676) 850-852
  • 16 Schwarcz R, Foster AC, French ED, Whetsell Jr WO, Köhler C. Excitotoxic models for neurodegenerative disorders. Life Sci 1984; 35 (1) 19-32
  • 17 Wan S, Izzat MB, Lee TW, Wan IY, Tang NL, Yim AP. Avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass in multivessel CABG reduces cytokine response and myocardial injury. Ann Thorac Surg 1999; 68 (1) 52-56 , discussion 56–57
  • 18 Rasmussen BS, Sollid J, Knudsen L, Christensen T, Toft E, Tønnesen E. The release of systemic inflammatory mediators is independent of cardiopulmonary bypass temperature. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2007; 21 (2) 191-196
  • 19 Gramsbergen JB, Hodgkins PS, Rassoulpour A, Turski WA, Guidetti P, Schwarcz R. Brain-specific modulation of kynurenic acid synthesis in the rat. J Neurochem 1997; 69 (1) 290-298
  • 20 Heyes MP, Jordan EK, Lee K , et al. Relationship of neurologic status in macaques infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus to cerebrospinal fluid quinolinic acid and kynurenic acid. Brain Res 1992; 570 (1–2) 237-250
  • 21 Forrest CM, Mackay GM, Oxford L , et al. Kynurenine metabolism predicts cognitive function in patients following cardiac bypass and thoracic surgery. J Neurochem 2011; 119 (1) 136-152
  • 22 Passera E, Campanini B, Rossi F , et al. Human kynurenine aminotransferase II—reactivity with substrates and inhibitors. FEBS J 2011; 278 (11) 1882-1900
  • 23 Hurtado-Alvarado G, Cabañas-Morales AM, Gómez-Gónzalez B. Pericytes: brain-immune interface modulators. Front Integr Neurosci 2014; 7: 80
  • 24 Gál EM, Sherman AD. L-kynurenine: its synthesis and possible regulatory function in brain. Neurochem Res 1980; 5 (3) 223-239
  • 25 Maes M, Yirmyia R, Noraberg J , et al. The inflammatory & neurodegenerative (I&ND) hypothesis of depression: leads for future research and new drug developments in depression. Metab Brain Dis 2009; 24 (1) 27-53
  • 26 Pereira EF, Hilmas C, Santos MD, Alkondon M, Maelicke A, Albuquerque EX. Unconventional ligands and modulators of nicotinic receptors. J Neurobiol 2002; 53 (4) 479-500
  • 27 Ito A, Goto T, Maekawa K, Baba T, Mishima Y, Ushijima K. Postoperative neurological complications and risk factors for pre-existing silent brain infarction in elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. J Anesth 2012; 26 (3) 405-411
  • 28 Goto T, Baba T, Honma K , et al. Magnetic resonance imaging findings and postoperative neurologic dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Ann Thorac Surg 2001; 72 (1) 137-142
  • 29 Court JA, Perry EK. Neurotransmitter abnormalities in vascular dementia. Int Psychogeriatr 2003; 15 (Suppl. 01) 81-87
  • 30 Schwarcz R, Bruno JP, Muchowski PJ, Wu HQ. Kynurenines in the mammalian brain: when physiology meets pathology. Nat Rev Neurosci 2012; 13 (7) 465-477
  • 31 Goto T, Maekawa K. Cerebral dysfunction after coronary artery bypass surgery. J Anesth 2014; 28 (2) 242-248
  • 32 Bruggemans EF. Cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery: pathophysiological mechanisms and preventive strategies. Neth Heart J 2013; 21 (2) 70-73
  • 33 Rosenberger P, Shernan SK, Löffler M , et al. The influence of epiaortic ultrasonography on intraoperative surgical management in 6051 cardiac surgical patients. Ann Thorac Surg 2008; 85 (2) 548-553
  • 34 Djaiani G, Fedorko L, Borger MA , et al. Continuous-flow cell saver reduces cognitive decline in elderly patients after coronary bypass surgery. Circulation 2007; 116 (17) 1888-1895
  • 35 Siepe M, Pfeiffer T, Gieringer A , et al. Increased systemic perfusion pressure during cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with less early postoperative cognitive dysfunction and delirium. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2011; 40 (1) 200-207
  • 36 Mehta Y, Singh R. Cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery. J Alzheimers Dis 2010; 22 (Suppl. 03) 115-120