Influence of transglutaminase on the functions of mouse peritoneal macrophages

Localization of tissue transglutaminase in human carotid and coronary artery atherosclerosis: implications for plaque stability and progression

Although atherosclerosis progresses in an indolent state for decades, the rupture of plaques creates acute ischemic syndromes that may culminate in myocardial infarction and stroke. Mechanical forces and matrix metalloproteinase activity initiate plaque rupture, whereas tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases have an important (albeit indirect) role in plaque stabilization. In this paper, an enzyme that could directly stabilize the plaque is described. Tissue transglutaminase (TG) catalyzes the formation of epsilon(gamma-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide bonds that are resistant to enzymatic, mechanical, and chemical degradation. We performed immunohistochemistry for TG in atherosclerotic human coronary and carotid arteries. TG was most prominent along the luminal endothelium and in the medium of the vessels with a distribution mirroring that of smooth muscle cells. Variable, often prominent, immunoreactivity for TG was also seen in the intima, especially in regions with significant neovascularization. Additionally, TG was detected in fibrous caps and near the "shoulder regions" of some plaques. A monoclonal antibody to the transglutaminase product epsilon(gamma-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide demonstrated co-localization with TG antigen. Transglutaminase activity was found in 6 of 14 coronary artery atherectomy samples. Cross-linking of TG substrates such as fibrinogen, fibronectin, vitronectin, collagen type I, and protease inhibitors stabilized the plaque. Furthermore, the activation of transforming growth factor-beta-1 by TG might be an additional mechanism for the promotion of plaque stabilization and progression by increasing the synthesis of extracellular matrix components.

Auranofin inhibits calcium uptake into opsonized-zymosan-stimulated neutrophils obtained from rats

In order to study the pharmacological action site of auranofin during the functional suppression of leukocytes, especially neutrophils, we investigated the influence of auranofin on the calcium-45 (45Ca2+) uptake into peripheral blood neutrophils and peritoneal resident macrophages isolated from normal and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) rats. Calcium-45 uptake into neutrophils and macrophages obtained from normal and AA rats was increased by stimulation with opsonized-zymosan, while auranofin inhibited the increase in the 45Ca2+ uptake into neutrophils, but not into macrophages. There was a tendency that auranofin more strongly inhibited the increase in the 45Ca2+ uptake into neutrophils obtained from AA rats than normal rats, but no statistically significant difference between them was observed in the inhibitory potency of auranofin. From these results, it is suggested that auranofin would show anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory effects by the inhibition of Ca2+ uptake into neutrophils which infiltrate into local lesions during the early and active phases of rheumatoid arthritis.

Lipopolysaccharide inhibits activation of latent transforming growth factor-beta in bovine endothelial cells

The activation of latent transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) by vascular endothelial cells (ECs) is regulated by cellular plasminogen activator (PA)/plasmin, transglutaminase (TGase), and latent TGF-beta levels. Because lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been reported to reduce EC surface plasmin levels by increasing the production of the inhibitor of PA, PA inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), we have tested whether LPS might suppress latent TGF-beta activation in ECs using two different systems, namely, bovine aortic ECs (BAECs) cocultured with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and BAECs treated with retinol. BAECs were either cocultured with SMCs after treatment with 15 ng/ml LPS or were treated with 2 microM retinol and/or 10 ng/ml LPS, and the expression of PA, surface plasmin, TGase, and the amounts of active and latent TGF-beta secreted into the culture medium were measured. The downregulation of surface PA/plasmin levels with LPS was accompanied by a profound decline of both TGase and latent TGF-beta expression as well as the suppression of surface activation of latent TGF-beta. The effect was dependent on the concentration of LPS and on treatment time. The formation of TGF-beta did not occur in cells maintained in LPS-contaminated culture medium.