Quinolinate Phosphoribosyltransferase (QPRT)

Quinolinate is an intermediate in the de novo synthesis pathway of NAD from tryptophan and acts as a potent endogenous excitotoxin through hyperstimulation of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the neuron. Elevation of quinolinate levels in the human brain has been postulated to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Mammalian quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QPRTase) is a key enzyme in catabolism of quinolinate.This gene encodes a key enzyme in catabolism of quinolinate, an intermediate in the tryptophan-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide pathway. Quinolinate acts as a most potent endogenous exitotoxin to neurons. Elevation of quinolinate levels in the brain has been linked to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease.