Tissue transglutaminase inhibition as treatment for diabetic glomerular scarring: it's good to be glueless

Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by enhanced glomerular and tubulointerstitial deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, which are bound together by tissue transglutaminase (TG2). Huang et al. demonstrate that infusion of a novel TG2 inhibitor in diabetic rats prevented renal scarring and albuminuria and preserved glomerular filtration rate. These studies confirm the role of TG2 in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and add to an emerging literature that demonstrates that TG2 is an attractive therapeutic target for sclerosing kidney diseases.