Elevated transglutaminase 2 activity is associated with hypoxia-induced experimental pulmonary hypertension in mice

ACS Chem Biol. 2014 Jan 17;9(1):266-75. doi: 10.1021/cb4006408. Epub 2013 Nov 5.

Abstract

Previous studies in human patients and animal models have suggested that transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is upregulated in pulmonary hypertension (PH), a phenomenon that appears to be associated with the effects of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) in this disease. Using chemical tools to interrogate and inhibit TG2 activity in vivo, we have shown that pulmonary TG2 undergoes marked post-translational activation in a mouse model of hypoxia-induced PH. We have also identified irreversible fluorinated TG2 inhibitors that may find use as non-invasive positron emission tomography probes for diagnosis and management of this debilitating, lifelong disorder. Pharmacological inhibition of TG2 attenuated the elevated right ventricular pressure but had no effect on hypertrophy of the right ventricle of the heart. A longitudinal study of pulmonary TG2 activity in PH patients is warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / enzymology*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / etiology*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / pathology
  • Hypoxia / complications*
  • Hypoxia / enzymology*
  • Hypoxia / pathology
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / enzymology*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2
  • Transglutaminases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transglutaminases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2
  • Transglutaminases
  • GTP-Binding Proteins