Transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking is involved in the stabilization of extracellular matrix in human liver fibrosis

Autor: Pascale Grenard, Michèle Chevallier, Solange Bresson-Hadni, S. Ricard-Blum, Saı̈d El Alaoui, Dominique A. Vuitton
Přispěvatelé: Deleage, Gilbert
Rok vydání: 2001
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Hepatology. 35:367-375
ISSN: 0168-8278
Popis: BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lysyl oxidase-mediated cross-linking contributes to the stabilization of collagen in liver fibrosis. We have investigated transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking, to determine if it participates in the stabilization of extracellular matrix in human liver fibrosis. METHODS: Transglutaminase activity was assessed in vitro by incorporation of biotinylated amine into liver proteins. The product of the transglutaminase-catalyzed cross-linking reaction, Nepsilon(gamma-glutamyl)lysine, and the extracellular proteins cross-linked by it, were localized by immunohistochemistry in fibrotic livers. The cross-linked complexes were extracted from liver tissue, immunopurified and characterized by Western blot. RESULTS: Transglutaminase, detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and by enzymatic activity, was found in higher amounts in fibrotic than in normal liver. The Nepsilon(gamma-glutamyl)lysine cross-link, undetectable in normal liver, was present extracellularly in fibrotic liver, where it was co-distributed with osteonectin, mostly in inflammatory areas submitted to an intense remodeling. Cross-linking of osteonectin by transglutaminase was confirmed by Western blot. In parasitic fibrosis transglutaminase also originates from the parasite. CONCLUSIONS: Transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking occurs in liver extracellular matrix during the early, inflammatory, stage of liver fibrosis, whereas cross-linking by pyridinoline occurs mostly later in the fibrotic process. This could lead to the development of new anti-fibrotic treatments targeted to a specific stage of fibrosis.BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lysyl oxidase-mediated cross-linking contributes to the stabilization of collagen in liver fibrosis. We have investigated transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking, to determine if it participates in the stabilization of extracellular matrix in human liver fibrosis. METHODS: Transglutaminase activity was assessed in vitro by incorporation of biotinylated amine into liver proteins. The product of the transglutaminase-catalyzed cross-linking reaction, Nepsilon(gamma-glutamyl)lysine, and the extracellular proteins cross-linked by it, were localized by immunohistochemistry in fibrotic livers. The cross-linked complexes were extracted from liver tissue, immunopurified and characterized by Western blot. RESULTS: Transglutaminase, detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and by enzymatic activity, was found in higher amounts in fibrotic than in normal liver. The Nepsilon(gamma-glutamyl)lysine cross-link, undetectable in normal liver, was present extracellularly in fibrotic liver, where it was co-distributed with osteonectin, mostly in inflammatory areas submitted to an intense remodeling. Cross-linking of osteonectin by transglutaminase was confirmed by Western blot. In parasitic fibrosis transglutaminase also originates from the parasite. CONCLUSIONS: Transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking occurs in liver extracellular matrix during the early, inflammatory, stage of liver fibrosis, whereas cross-linking by pyridinoline occurs mostly later in the fibrotic process. This could lead to the development of new anti-fibrotic treatments targeted to a specific stage of fibrosis.
Databáze: OpenAIRE