Tissue Transglutaminase Modulates Vascular Stiffness and Function Through Crosslinking-Dependent and Crosslinking-Independent Functions.

Background: The structural elements of the vascular wall, namely, extracellular matrix and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), contribute to the overall stiffness of the vessel. In this study, we examined the crosslinking-dependent and crosslinking-independent roles of tissue transglutaminase (TG2) in vascular function and stiffness.

Methods And Results: SMCs were isolated from the aortae of TG2-/- and wild-type (WT) mice.