Transglutaminases as possible therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative diseases

Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery
Antonio MartinVittorio Gentile

Abstract

Transglutaminases are ubiquitous enzymes which catalyze post-translational modifications of proteins. The main activity of these enzymes is the cross-linking of glutaminyl residues of a protein/peptide substrate to lysyl residues of a protein/peptide co-substrate. In addition to lysyl residues, other nucleophilic co-substrates may include monoamines or polyamines (to form mono- or bi-substituted /crosslinked adducts) or -OH groups (to form ester linkages). In absence of co-substrates, the nucleophile may be water, resulting in the net deamidation of the glutaminyl residue. Recently, "tissue" transglutaminase, a member of the transglutaminase family of enzymes, has been shown to be involved in the molecular mechanisms responsible for a very widespread human pathology, celiac disease. Transglutaminase activity has also been hypothesized to be involved in the pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for several other human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, often associated to celiac disease. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, supranuclear palsy, Huntington's disease and other polyglutamine diseases, are characterized in part by aberrant cerebral transglutaminase activity and by i...Continue Reading

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