To study the effect of tTG fully phosphorothioated antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (tTG-ASDON) on tTG expression in cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells (BTMCs) in vitro and explore a new treatment alternative for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), the ASDON1 and ASDON2 complementary to the protein codogram region of tTG were designed, synthesized and phosphorothioated according to the secondary structure of tTG. The ASDON1 and ASDON2 were embedded in Lipofectamine and transfected into BTMCs. The untreated group served as negative controls. The expression of tTG in the mRNA and protein level were measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical technique-Supervision method respectively. Our results showed that both the mRNA and the protein of tTG with tTG-ASDON and tTG-ASDON2 were significantly decreased as compared with that of the controls (P < 0.05). On the other hand, no significant difference was found between the ASDON1 group and the ASDON2 group. It is concluded that the expression of tTG mRNA and protein in cultured BTMC are down-regulated by tTG- ASDON. As a result, tTG-ASDON may be used for the treatment of POAG through the inhibitory effect on the expression of tTG.
Cells, Cultured ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/metabolism ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense/*pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Trabecular Meshwork/cytology ; Trabecular Meshwork/*metabolism ; Transglutaminases/*biosynthesis ; Transglutaminases/genetics ; Transglutaminases/*pharmacology

To study whether cultured bovine trabecluar meshwork cells (BTMC) are capable of expressing tTG in protein and at mRNA level, BTMC were cultured in vitro and passaged three times, then the cells were transferred onto or cultured on sterile cover or submitted to isolation of RNA with Trizol, and the expression of tTG was detected by immunohistochemical technique and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively. Our results showed that tTG immunostaining was positive in the cytoplasm and rarely in the nucleus of cultured BTMC. No immunostaining was seen in the negative control. Moreover, a single RT-PCR amplified product whose sequence and size were in accordance with our known parameters was obtained. The expression of tTG in cultured BTMC was confirmed in protein and at mRNA level. BMTC is available more readily for the investigation of the relationship between tTG and primary open-angle glaucoma.
Cells, Cultured ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Trabecular Meshwork/*metabolism ; Transglutaminases/*biosynthesis ; Transglutaminases/genetics

OBJECTIVETo identify potential mutations in a Chinese collodion baby.

METHODSThe patient was investigated clinically. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of the baby and his parents. All coding exons(exons 2-15) and splicing sites of transglutaminase 1(TGM1) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mutation detection was performed by directed sequencing of the PCR products. A total of 100 healthy unrelated subjects were used as controls. Haplotypes were constructed with microsatellites flanking the locus, and TGM1 genotypes of the family were used to determine parental origins of the mutations. CLUSTAL X (1.81) was employed to analyze cross-species conservation of the mutant protein sequence.

RESULTSThe boy was found to be a compound heterozygote for two novel mutations: c.420A>G (I140M) from his father and c.832G>A (G278R) from his mother, with the former occurring in the transglutaminase N domain and the latter between transglutaminase N and transglutaminase-like domains. Both mutations were absent from the control subjects.

CONCLUSIONThe boy's condition was caused by two novel compound heterozygous mutations of c.420A>G and c.832G>A of TGM1. Author's results may provide new clues for molecular diagnosis of this disease.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Ichthyosis, Lamellar ; genetics ; Infant ; Male ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Transglutaminases ; genetics

Transglutaminase (TG) is a kind of calcium-dependent enzymes. The TGase family found in rodents and human contains 9 types, including TG1-7, blood coagulation factor XIIIa and erythrocyte membrane protein 4.2, with the former 8 types possessing catalytic activity. TG catalyzes various conversion reactions of glutamine, including transamination, deamination and esterification, and participates in post-transcriptional modification of proteins such as cross-linking peptides glutamine residue and lysyl-residue, stabilizing protein structure and catalyzing formation of protein aggregates. TGase has been found to contribute to a variety of important physiological and pathological processes and play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. Notably, neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, have a close connection with TGase's role in the human body.
Animals ; Brain ; enzymology ; Humans ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; enzymology ; genetics ; Transglutaminases ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic cause for a child with congenital ichthyosis. METHODS: The child was subjected to next generation sequencing using a specific gene panel. Suspected mutation was validated by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The proband was found to harbor compound heterozygous mutations c.327delG (p.Met109Ilefs*2) and c.791G>A (p.Arg264Gln) of the TGM1 gene, which were respectively inherited from his mother and father. The same mutations were not found among 101 healthy controls. c.327delG was not reported previously. By bioinformatic analysis, both mutations are likely to impair the function of TGase-1 protein. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous mutations of c.327delG and c.791G> A of the TGM1 gene probably underlie the ichthyosis in the proband. The result has facilitated prenatal diagnosis for this pedigree.
Female ; Humans ; Ichthyosiform Erythroderma, Congenital ; genetics ; Infant, Newborn ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Transglutaminases ; genetics

Direct secretory expression of active microbial transglutaminase (MTG) using heterologous hosts is a promising strategy, although its production level still needs to be improved for industrial production. Pichia pastoris is one of the most efficient expression systems developed in recent years. In this study, secretory expression of active MTG was successfully achieved by co-expressing the pro sequence and mature MTG genes in P. pastoris. Furthermore, we optimized the copy number of pro/MTG expression cassettes and the fermentation conditions. MTG production level reached 7.3 U/mL in 1-liter fermentor through high density fermentation, providing the feasiblity for industrial scale preparation of MTG.
Fermentation ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Pichia ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Streptomyces ; enzymology ; Transglutaminases ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo construct the lentivirus vector of siRNA-tTG and investigate the effects and mechanism of lentivirus mediated tTG RNA interference (RNAi) on the hepatic stellate cell (HSC).

METHODSThe effective RNAi sequences targeted the tTG gene were designed and Lenti-siRNA-tTG was constructed by plasmid transfection. The rats were distributed into three groups:negative control (CON) group, siRNA-GFP (GFP) group and siRNA-tTG (rtTG) group. After the infection of lentivirus mediated siRNA-tTG, the mRNA and protein expression of tTG, alpha-SMA and collagen-1, and the cell proliferative status of HSC were observed in the three groups respectively.

RESULTSThe lentivirus vector of siRNA-tTG was constructed successfully. After the infection of lentivirus mediated siRNA-tTG, the mRNA expression of tTG and collagen-1 was decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the protein expression of tTG, lysine and collagen-1 was also decreased significantly (P < 0.01), in the same time the proliferative ability of HSC was decreased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLentivirus mediated siRNA-tTG can inhibit the proliferation of HSC by inhibition of the expression of tTG and attenuate the synthesis of collagen-1 and lysine. Thus, it may have a potential anti-fibrosis effect.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Genetic Vectors ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Lentivirus ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Rats ; Transfection ; Transglutaminases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the genetic cause for a Uyghur Chinese child with collodion skin.

METHODSG-banded chromosomal karyotyping was carried out for the child and his parents. High-throughput sequencing for 25 genes related to ichthyosis and ichthyosiform dermatosis was also performed for the child.

RESULTSNo karyotypic abnormality was found in the child and his parents. High-throughput sequencing has detected in the patient a previously described pathogenic mutation c.919C>T (p.Arg307Trp) and a novel c.856C>T (p.Arg286Trp) mutation in the TGM1 gene. By Sanger sequencing, the child was verified to have carried both mutations. His father was found to be a heterozygous carrier of the c.856C>T (p.Arg286Trp) mutation, while neither mutation was found in the mother.

CONCLUSIONCongenital ichthyosis associated with the TGM1 gene may show an autosomal recessive inheritance. The collodion condition of the child is probably due to the compound heterozygous mutations of the TGM1 gene.

Child ; Chromosome Banding ; Female ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Ichthyosis, Lamellar ; genetics ; Infant ; Karyotyping ; Mutation ; Transglutaminases ; genetics

The microbial transglutamunase (MTG) gene was amplified from the genomic DNA of Streptoverticillium mobaraensea by using PCR and inserted into pET vector to construct the expression plasmid called pET-MTG. The pET-MTG was transfected into E. coli (Rosetta DE3) and the MTG protein was found to be highly expressed as inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were isolated and subjected to denaturation and re-naturation, followed by strong cation ion-exchange chromatography to purify the expressed MTG. The specific activity of purified MTG was close to that of native MTG. Taken together, this study might provide a base for the industrial production of microbial transglutaminase.
Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genes, Bacterial ; Inclusion Bodies ; enzymology ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Streptomycetaceae ; enzymology ; genetics ; Transglutaminases ; genetics ; metabolism

Microbial transglutaminase, which could catalyze the cross-linking of many proteins or non-protein materials, has been widely used in food, pharmaceutical and textile industry. To enhance the yield of the enzyme and establish corresponding platform for molecular modification, the researchers of Japanese Ajinomoto began to construct the recombinant strain producing transglutaminase in the 1990s. So far, the enzyme has been successfully expressed in different expression systems. Some of the recombinant strains are more productive than wild strains. Recently, progress has been made in the molecular modification of microbial transglutaminase, and the activity, thermo-stability and specificity of the enzyme are improved. This review briefly summarized and analyzed the strategies involved in these studies, and noted its trends.
Bacterial Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Catalysis ; Enzyme Stability ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Engineering ; methods ; Streptomyces ; enzymology ; Substrate Specificity ; Transglutaminases ; biosynthesis ; genetics