Intracellular utilization of superoxide anion by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase of rabbit enterocytes

The participation of superoxide anion (O2-) in the intracellular indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity was studied using the dispersed cell suspension of the rabbit small intestine. The dioxygenase activity was assayed by measuring [14C]formate released from DL-[ring-2-14C]tryptophan. The addition of diethyldiethiocarbamate, a superoxide dismutase inhibitor, markedly accelerated the intracellular dioxygenase activity while the superoxide dismutase activity decreased concomitantly. Furthermore, substrates of xanthine oxidase such as inosine, adenosine, and hypoxanthine also increased the dioxygenase activity in the cells, particularly in the presence of methylene blue. This increase was completely abolished by the addition of allopurinol, a specific inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. These results, taken together, indicate that the intracellular accumulation of O2- results in acceleration of the in situ dioxygenase activity, and that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase utilizes O2- in the isolated intestinal cells.