QPRT and acute kidney injury: Blockade of α-amino-β-carboxymuconate-ε-semialdehyde-decarboxylase (the enzyme leading toward picolinic acid production and away from quinolate) also reduces AKI in both ischemia-reperfusion and cisplatin models via an increase in de novo NAD production (59), whereas decreased quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase increases quinolate, decreases NAD, and results in worsening AKI (57).