Increased peptidylarginine deiminase type II in hypoxic astrocytes.

Peptidylarginine deiminase type II (PAD 2) is the primary enzyme responsible for conversion of protein bound arginine to citrulline in the central nervous system. Evidence suggests that glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the main intermediate filament in astrocytes, is deiminated, but not much is known regarding factors that control this enzymatic reaction. The present study demonstrated that PAD 2 activity (as determined by Western blot analysis of citrullinated GFAP isoforms) was increased in human cultured astrocytes by hypoxic conditions.