| Scientific Background: | Transglutaminases are enzymes that catalyze the crosslinking of proteins by epsilon-gamma glutamyl lysine isopeptide bonds. While the primary structure of transglutaminases is not conserved, they all have the same amino acid sequence at their active sites and their activity is calcium-dependent. The protein encoded by this gene acts as a monomer, is induced by retinoic acid, and appears to be involved in apoptosis. Finally, the encoded protein is the autoantigen implicated in celiac disease. The identification of transglutaminase as the main antigen of endomysium antibodies allows a new diagnostic approach to celiac disease (CD), a genetic, immunologically mediated small bowel enteropathy that causes malabsorption. TGase II is implicated in programmed cell death, signal transduction, drug-resistance, cell growth, endocytosis, insulin secretion, cell adhesion, cataract formation, and wound healing. |
