title: The roles of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine in cardiovascular physiology and disease.
abstract: More than 1,000 proteins of the nucleus, cytoplasm, and mitochondria are dynamically modified by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), an essential post-translational modification of metazoans. O-GlcNAc, which modifies Ser/Thr residues, is thought to regulate protein function in a manner analogous to protein phosphorylation and, on a subset of proteins, appears to have a reciprocal relationship with phosphorylation. Like phosphorylation, O-GlcNAc levels change dynamically in response to numerous signals including hyperglycemia and cellular injury. Recent data suggests that O-GlcNAc appears to be a key regulator of the cellular stress response, the augmentation of which is protective in models of acute vascular injury, trauma hemorrhage, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. In contrast to these studies, O-GlcNAc has also been implicated in the development of hypertension and type II diabetes, leading to vascular and cardiac dysfunction. Here we summarize the current understanding of the roles of O-GlcNAc in the heart and vasculature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. nzachara@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Natasha E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Zachara
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000502:physiology; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000117:Acetylglucosamine