title: The effect of hypoglycemic sulfonylureas on human red blood cell transglutaminase activity.
abstract: We have examined the effect of glipizide, a hypoglycemic sulfonylurea, upon transglutaminase activity in human red blood cells. In a first series of experiments the in vitro effect of the drug was assessed. The results obtained showed that glipizide inhibits transglutaminase activity in human red blood cells. In a second approach, glipizide was administered orally to six type 2 diabetic patients during 3 months, in order to evaluate the long-term effect upon transglutaminase activity. Again, glipizide induced a significant decrease in the enzyme activity in blood red cells (P less than 0.01). We suggest that treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemic sulfonylureas could improve insulin effects by inhibiting cellular transglutaminase activity.
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D005913:Glipizide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D011503:Transglutaminases; D002118:Calcium; D005913:Glipizide