LOXL2 Oxidizes Methylated TAF10 and Controls TFIID-Dependent Genes during Neural Progenitor Differentiation.

Protein function is often regulated and controlled by posttranslational modifications, such as oxidation. Although oxidation has been mainly considered to be uncontrolled and nonenzymatic, many enzymatic oxidations occur on enzyme-selected lysine residues; for instance, LOXL2 oxidizes lysines by converting the ε-amino groups into aldehyde groups. Using an unbiased proteomic approach, we have identified methylated TAF10, a member of the TFIID complex, as a LOXL2 substrate. LOXL2 oxidation of TAF10 induces its release from its promoters, leading to a block in TFIID-dependent gene transcription. In embryonic stem cells, this results in the inactivation of the pluripotency genes and loss of the pluripotent capacity. During zebrafish development, the absence of LOXL2 resulted in the aberrant overexpression of the neural progenitor gene Sox2 and impaired neural differentiation. Thus, lysine oxidation of the transcription factor TAF10 is a controlled protein modification and demonstrates a role for protein oxidation in regulating pluripotency genes.

Knockdown of lysyl oxidase like 1 inhibits the proliferation and pro-fibrotic effects of transforming growth factor-ß1-induced hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.

The excessive healing response during wound repair can result in hypertrophic scars (HS). Lysyl oxidase like 1 (LOXL1) has been reported to be associated with fibrosis via targeting transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) signaling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LOXL1 on HS formation. The expression of LOXL1 in HS tissues and TGF-ß1-induced HS-derived fibroblasts (HSFs) was detected via reverse transcription quantitative PCR and Western blot. LOXL1 was silenced in HSFs using transfection with short hairpin RNA (shRNA), then wound healing process including cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition along with Smad expression were measured by cell counting kit-8, EdU staining, flow cytometry, transwell, immunofluorescence, and Western blot assays. LOXL1 was upregulated in HS tissues and TGF-ß1-induced HSFs. Knockdown of LOXL1 inhibited proliferation and migration but promoted cell cycle G0/G1 phase arrest in TGF-ß1-induced HSFs; it increased expression of cyclin D1, CDK4, MMP2, MMP9, COL1A1, COL1A2, fibronectin, COL3A1, α-SMA, but decreased expression of p27, and the phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3 caused by TGF-ß1 were also blocked by LOXL1 silencing. Silence of LOXL1 could effectively inhibit TGF-ß1-induced proliferation, migration, and ECM deposition in HSFs via inactivating Smad pathway. Targeting LOXL1 may have future therapeutic implications for HS treatment.

LOXL3 Silencing Affected Cell Adhesion and Invasion in U87MG Glioma Cells.

Lysyl oxidase-like 3 (LOXL3), belonging to the lysyl oxidase family, is responsible for the crosslinking in collagen or elastin. The cellular localization of LOXL3 is in the extracellular space by reason of its canonical function. In tumors, the presence of LOXL3 has been associated with genomic stability, cell proliferation, and metastasis. In silico analysis has shown that glioblastoma was among tumors with the highest LOXL3 expression levels. LOXL3 silencing of U87MG cells by siRNA led to the spreading of the tumor cell surface, and the transcriptome analysis of these cells revealed an upregulation of genes coding for extracellular matrix, cell adhesion, and cytoskeleton components, convergent to an increase in cell adhesion and a decrease in cell invasion observed in functional assays. Significant correlations of LOXL3 expression with genes coding for tubulins were observed in the mesenchymal subtype in the TCGA RNA-seq dataset of glioblastoma (GBM). Conversely, genes involved in endocytosis and lysosome formation, along with MAPK-binding proteins related to focal adhesion turnover, were downregulated, which may corroborate the observed decrease in cell viability and increase in the rate of cell death. Invasiveness is a major determinant of the recurrence and poor outcome of GBM patients, and downregulation of LOXL3 may contribute to halting the tumor cell invasion.

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 deaminates lysine 4 in histone H3.

Methylation of lysine 4 (K4) within histone H3 has been linked to active transcription and is removed by LSD1 and the JmjC domain-containing proteins by amino-oxidation or hydroxylation, respectively. Here, we describe the deamination catalyzed by Lysyl oxidase-like 2 protein (LOXL2) as an unconventional chemical mechanism for H3K4 modification. Infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry analyses demonstrated that recombinant LOXL2 specifically deaminates trimethylated H3K4. Moreover, LOXL2 activity is linked with the transcriptional control of CDH1 gene by regulating H3K4me3 deamination. These results reveal another H3 modification and provide a different mechanism for H3K4 modification.

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 represses Notch1 expression in the skin to promote squamous cell carcinoma progression.

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) is involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes, including fibrosis and tumor progression, implicating intracellular and extracellular functions. To explore the specific in vivo role of LOXL2 in physiological and tumor contexts, we generated conditional gain- and loss-of-function mouse models. Germ-line deletion of Loxl2 promotes lethality in half of newborn mice mainly associated to congenital heart defects, while Loxl2 overexpression triggers male sterility due to epididymal dysfunction caused by epithelial disorganization, fibrosis and acute inflammation. Remarkably, when challenged to chemical skin carcinogenesis, Loxl2-overexpressing mice increased tumor burden and malignant progression, while Loxl2-deficient mice exhibit the opposite phenotypes. Loxl2 levels in premalignant tumors negatively correlate with expression of epidermal differentiation markers and components of the Notch1 pathway. We show that LOXL2 is a direct repressor of NOTCH1. Additionally, we identify an exclusive expression pattern between LOXL2 and members of the canonical NOTCH1 pathway in human HNSCC. Our data identify for the first time novel LOXL2 roles in tissue homeostasis and support it as a target for SCC therapy.

Loss of lysyl oxidase-like 3 causes cleft palate and spinal deformity in mice.

In mammals, embryonic development are highly regulated morphogenetic processes that are tightly controlled by genetic elements. Failure of any one of these processes can result in embryonic malformation. The lysyl oxidase (LOX) family genes are closely related to human diseases. In this study, we investigated the essential role of lysyl oxidase-like 3 (LOXL3), a member of the LOX family, in embryonic development. Mice lacking LOXL3 exhibited perinatal lethality, and the deletion of the Loxl3 gene led to impaired development of the palate shelves, abnormalities in the cartilage primordia of the thoracic vertebrae and mild alveolar shrinkage. We found that the obvious decrease of collagen cross-links in palate and spine that was induced by the lack of LOXL3 resulted in cleft palate and spinal deformity. Thus, we provide critical in vivo evidence that LOXL3 is indispensable for mouse palatogenesis and vertebral column development. The Loxl3 gene may be a candidate disease gene resulting in cleft palate and spinal deformity.

NAC transcription factor speedy hyponastic growth regulates flooding-induced leaf movement in Arabidopsis.

In rosette plants, root flooding (waterlogging) triggers rapid upward (hyponastic) leaf movement representing an important architectural stress response that critically determines plant performance in natural habitats. The directional growth is based on localized longitudinal cell expansion at the lower (abaxial) side of the leaf petiole and involves the volatile phytohormone ethylene (ET). We report the existence of a transcriptional core unit underlying directional petiole growth in Arabidopsis thaliana, governed by the NAC transcription factor speedy hyponastic growth (SHYG). Overexpression of SHYG in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana enhances waterlogging-triggered hyponastic leaf movement and cell expansion in abaxial cells of the basal petiole region, while both responses are largely diminished in shyg knockout mutants. Expression of several expansin and xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolase genes encoding cell wall-loosening proteins was enhanced in SHYG overexpressors but lowered in shyg. We identified ACC oxidase5 (ACO5), encoding a key enzyme of ET biosynthesis, as a direct transcriptional output gene of SHYG and found a significantly reduced leaf movement in response to root flooding in aco5 T-DNA insertion mutants. Expression of SHYG in shoot tissue is triggered by root flooding and treatment with ET, constituting an intrinsic ET-SHYG-ACO5 activator loop for rapid petiole cell expansion upon waterlogging.

Dual diaminopimelate biosynthesis pathways in Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium thermocellum.

Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium thermocellum were recently found to synthesize diaminopimelate (DAP) by way of LL-DAP aminotransferase. Both species also contain an ortholog of meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase (Ddh), suggesting that they may have redundant pathways for DAP biosynthesis. The B. fragilis Ddh ortholog shows low homology with other examples of Ddh and this species belongs to a phylum, the Bacteriodetes, not previously known to contain this enzyme. By contrast, the C. thermocellum ortholog is well conserved with known examples of Ddh. Using in vitro and in vivo assays both the B. fragilis and C. thermocellum enzymes were found to be authentic examples of Ddh, displaying kinetic properties typical of this enzyme. The result indicates that B. fragilis contains a sequence diverged form of Ddh. Phylogenomic analysis of the microbial genome database revealed that 77% of species with a Ddh ortholog also contain a second pathway for DAP biosynthesis suggesting that Ddh evolved as an ancillary mechanism for DAP biosynthesis.

LOXL2 in epithelial cell plasticity and tumor progression.

Several members of the lysyl oxidase family have recently emerged as important regulators of tumor progression. Among them, LOXL2 has been shown to be involved in tumor progression and metastasis of several tumor types, including breast carcinomas. Secreted LOXL2 participates in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix of the tumor microenvironment, in a similar fashion to prototypical lysyl oxidase. In addition, new intracellular functions of LOXL2 have been described, such as its involvement in the regulation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, epithelial cell polarity and differentiation mediated by transcriptional repression mechanisms. Importantly, intracellular (perinuclear) expression of LOXL2 is associated with poor prognosis and distant metastasis of specific tumor types, such as larynx squamous cell carcinoma and basal breast carcinomas. These recent findings open new avenues for the therapeutic utility of LOXL2.

Arginine racemization by coupled catabolic and anabolic dehydrogenases.

D-amino acids exist in living organisms as specialized components of many different machineries. Biosynthesis of D-amino acids from racemization of predominant L-enantiomers is catalyzed by a single enzyme. Here, we report the finding of a novel 2-component amino acid racemase for D-to-L inversion in D-arginine metabolism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. From DNA microarray analysis, the putative dauBAR operon (for D-arginine utilization) of unknown functions was found to be highly induced by D-arginine. The importance of the dau operon in D-arginine metabolism was demonstrated by the findings that strains with a lesion at dauA or dauB failed to use D-arginine as sole carbon source. Two lines of evidence suggest that DauA and DauB are required for D-to-L racemization of arginine. First, growth complementation of an L-arginine auxotroph by D-arginine was abolished by a lesion at dauA or dauB. Second, D-arginine induced L-arginine-specific genes in the parental strain PAO1 but not in its dauA or dauB mutants. This hypothesis was further supported by activity measurements of the purified enzymes: DauA catalyzes oxidative deamination of D-arginine into 2-ketoarginine and ammonia, and DauB is able to use 2-ketoarginine and ammonia as substrates and convert them into L-arginine in the presence of NADPH or NADH. Thus, we propose that DauA and DauB are coupled catabolic and anabolic dehydrogenases to perform D-to-L racemization of arginine, which serves as prerequisite of D-arginine utilization through L-arginine catabolic pathways.

The lysyl oxidases LOX and LOXL2 are necessary and sufficient to repress E-cadherin in hypoxia: insights into cellular transformation processes mediated by HIF-1.

Hypoxia has been shown to promote tumor metastasis and lead to therapy resistance. Recent work has demonstrated that hypoxia represses E-cadherin expression, a hallmark of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, which is believed to amplify tumor aggressiveness. The molecular mechanism of E-cadherin repression is unknown, yet lysyl oxidases have been implicated to be involved. Gene expression of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and the related LOX-like 2 (LOXL2) is strongly induced by hypoxia. In addition to the previously demonstrated LOX, we characterize LOXL2 as a direct transcriptional target of HIF-1. We demonstrate that activation of lysyl oxidases is required and sufficient for hypoxic repression of E-cadherin, which mediates cellular transformation and takes effect in cellular invasion assays. Our data support a molecular pathway from hypoxia to cellular transformation. It includes up-regulation of HIF and subsequent transcriptional induction of LOX and LOXL2, which repress E-cadherin and induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Lysyl oxidases could be an attractive molecular target for cancers of epithelial origin, in particular because they are partly extracellular.

Making biochemistry count: life among the amino acid dehydrogenases.

The guiding principle of the IAS Medal Lecture and of the research it covered was that searching mathematical analysis, depending on good measurements, must underpin sound biochemical conclusions. This was illustrated through various experiences with the amino acid dehydrogenases. Topics covered in the present article include: (i) the place of kinetic measurement in assessing the metabolic role of GDH (glutamate dehydrogenase); (ii) the discovery of complex regulatory behaviour in mammalian GDH, involving negative co-operativity in coenzyme binding; (iii) an X-ray structure solution for a bacterial GDH providing insight into catalysis; (iv) almost total positive co-operativity in glutamate binding to clostridial GDH; (v) unexpected outcomes with mutations at the catalytic aspartate site in GDH; (vi) reactive cysteine as a counting tool in the construction of hybrid oligomers to probe the basis of allosteric interaction; (vii) tryptophan-to-phenylalanine mutations in analysis of allosteric conformational change; (viii) site-directed mutagenesis to alter substrate specificity in GDH and PheDH (phenylalanine dehydrogenase); and (ix) varying strengths of binding of the 'wrong' enantiomer in engineered mutant enzymes and implications for resolution of racemates.

Transfection with the inducible nitric oxide synthase gene suppresses tumorigenicity and abrogates metastasis by K-1735 murine melanoma cells.

Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated an inverse relationship between the expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the metastatic potential of murine K-1735 melanoma cells. The purpose of this study was to provide direct evidence that the expression of iNOS suppresses metastatic potential of melanoma cells. Highly metastatic K-1735 clone 4 cells (C4.P), which express low levels of iNOS, were transfected with a functional iNOS (C4.L8), inactive-mutated iNOS (C4.S2), or neomycin-resistance (C4.Neo) genes in medium containing 3 mM NG-methyl-L-arginine (NMA). Positive transfectants were identified by Southern and Northern blot analyses and homogeneous staining with a specific anti-iNOS monoclonal antibody. Semiconfluent cultures of C4.P (parental), C4.Neo.3 (control transfection), C4.S2.3 (inactive iNOS), and C4.L8.5 (functional iNOS) were harvested, and viable cells were injected intravenously into syngeneic C3H/HeN mice and allogeneic BALB/c nude mice. C4.P, C4.Neo.3, and C4.S2.3 cells were highly metastatic whereas C4.L8.5 cells were not metastatic. Experiments with [125I]dUrd-labeled tumor cells demonstrated that the initial arrest in the lung microvasculature did not differ among the lines, but that C4.L8.5 cells died by 48-72 h after injection. Enhanced survival of all K-1735 C4 cells (including C4.L8.5) was found in mice given twice daily injections of 20 mg NMA. The C4.L8.5 cells produced slow growing subcutaneous tumors in nude mice, whereas the other three lines produced fast growing tumors. In vitro studies confirmed that in the absence of NMA the expression of iNOS in C4.L8.5 cells induced apoptosis. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the expression of recombinant iNOS in melanoma cells is associated with apoptosis, suppression of tumorigenicity, and abrogation of metastasis.

Erythrocyte stages of Plasmodium falciparum exhibit a high nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and release an NOS-inducing soluble factor.

Nitric oxide (NO), a highly diffusible cellular mediator involved in a wide range of biological effects, has been indicated as one of the cytotoxic agents released by leukocytes to counteract malaria infection. On the other hand, NO has been implicated as a mediator of the neuropathological symptoms of cerebral malaria. In such circumstances NO production has been thought to be induced in host tissues by host-derived cytokines. Here we provide evidence for the first time that human red blood cells infected by Plasmodium falciparum (IRBC) synthesize NO. The synthesis of NO (measured as citrulline and nitrate production) appeared to be very high in comparison with human endothelial cells; no citrulline and nitrate production was detectable in noninfected red blood cells. The NO synthase (NOS) activity was very high in the lysate of IRBC (while not measurable in that of normal red blood cells) and was inhibited in a dose-dependent way by three different NOS inhibitors (L-canavanine, NG-amino-L-arginine, and NG-nitro-L-arginine). NOS activity in P. falciparum IRBC is Ca++ independent, and the enzyme shows an apparent molecular mass < 100 kD, suggesting that the parasite expresses an isoform different from those found in mammalian cells. IRBC release a soluble factor able to induce NOS in human endothelial cells. Such NOS-inducing activity is not tissue specific, is time and dose dependent, requires de novo protein synthesis, and is probably associated with a thermolabile protein having a molecular mass > 100 kD. Our data suggest that an increased NO synthesis in P. falciparum malaria can be directly elicited by soluble factor(s) by the blood stages of the parasite, without necessarily requiring the intervention of host cytokines.

Secreted LOXL2 is a novel therapeutic target that promotes gastric cancer metastasis via the Src/FAK pathway.

The purpose of this study was to investigate invasion- and metastasis-related genes in gastric cancer. To this end, we used the transwell system to select a highly invasive subcell line from minimally invasive parent cells and compared gene expression in paired cell lines with high- and low-invasive potentials. Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) was overexpressed in the highly invasive subcell line. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that LOXL2 expression was markedly increased in carcinoma relative to normal epithelia, and this overexpression in primary tumor was significantly associated with depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and poorer overall survival. Moreover, LOXL2 expression was further increased in lymph node metastases compared with primary cancer tissues. RNA interference-mediated knockdown and ectopic expression of LOXL2 showed that LOXL2 promoted tumor cell invasion in vitro and increased gastric carcinoma metastasis in vivo. Subsequent mechanistic studies showed that LOXL2 could activate both the Snail/E-cadherin and Src kinase/Focal adhesion kinase (Src/FAK) pathways. However, secreted LOXL2 induced gastric tumor cell invasion and metastasis exclusively via the Src/FAK pathway. Expression correlation analysis in gastric carcinoma tissues also revealed that LOXL2 promoted invasion via the Src/FAK pathway but not the Snail/E-cadherin pathway. We then evaluated secreted LOXL2 as a target for gastric carcinoma treatment and found that an antibody against LOXL2 significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis. Overall, our data revealed that LOXL2 overexpression, a frequent event in gastric carcinoma progression, contributes to tumor cell invasion and metastasis, and LOXL2 may be a therapeutic target for preventing and treating metastases.

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 promotes migration in noninvasive breast cancer cells but not in normal breast epithelial cells.

A growing number of studies indicate the importance of the lysyl oxidase family in the promotion of epithelial neoplasms towards their more aggressive forms. However, the role of individual family members in carcinoma progression has yet to be ascertained. In this study, we analyzed LOXL2 expression in malignantly transformed MCF-7 and normal MCF-10A mammary epithelial cell line clones stably transduced with LOXL2 in vitro, and in normal and cancerous breast tissue samples in vivo. We found LOXL2 to be catalytically active in both MCF-7 and MCF-10 clones. LOXL2 overexpression promoted a more mesenchymal morphology in both cell types, but LOXL2-induced increase in migratory ability could only be established in MCF-7 clones. We demonstrated altered localization of the LOXL2 protein in breast cancer tissue compared to normal mammary tissue, and altered localization and processing of LOXL2 protein in breast cancer cell lines compared to normal cell lines, which may allow LOXL2 to interact with different intra and extracellular components during tumor progression. Results support the role of LOXL2 in selectively promoting a metastatic phenotype in breast tumor cells. Additional data suggest epigenetic molecular mechanisms in tumor specific regulation of LOXL2 expression that could be explored as a molecular target in the prevention of breast cancer progression.

Molecular pathology of pseudoexfoliation syndrome/glaucoma--new insights from LOXL1 gene associations.

Pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome is a generalized disease of the extracellular matrix and a major cause of severe open-angle glaucoma. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in exon 1 of the lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) gene have been recently identified as strong genetic risk factors for both PEX syndrome and PEX glaucoma. LOXL1 is a pivotal cross-linking enzyme in extracellular matrix metabolism and seems to be specifically required for elastic fiber formation and stabilization. This review outlines our current understanding of the role of LOXL1 in the pathophysiology of PEX syndrome and PEX glaucoma. The available data suggest that LOXL1 is differentially regulated dependent on the phase of progression of the fibrotic process. While increased levels of LOXL1 participate in the formation of abnormal PEX fiber aggregates in the initial phase of fibrogenesis, inadequate tissue levels may promote elastotic processes in advanced stages of the disease. Although the functional significance of LOXL1 in the specific PEX-associated matrix process still has to be determined, elucidation of the underlying molecular pathogenesis has been evolving, and might eventually open new approaches for specific treatment strategies in the future.

Selective potentiation of NMDA-induced neuronal injury following induction of astrocytic iNOS.

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the constitutive NO synthase (cNOS) in neurons has been implicated in mediating excitotoxic neuronal death. In our murine cortical cell culture system, NMDA neurotoxicity was not blocked by addition of the NOS inhibitors, NG-nitro-L-arginine or aminoguanidine. However, following activation of inducible NOS in astrocytes by interleukin-1 beta plus interferon-gamma, NMDA but not kainate neurotoxicity was markedly potentiated. This selective potentiation of NMDA neurotoxicity was blocked by NOS inhibition or antioxidants (superoxide dismutase/catalase or Tempol) and could be mimicked by NO generators (SIN-1 or SNAP) or the oxygen radical generator, pyragallol. These results raise the possibility that NO production by astrocytes may contribute to NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal death, perhaps through interaction with oxygen radicals.

Increased choroidal neovascularization following laser induction in mice lacking lysyl oxidase-like 1.

PURPOSE: Age-related degradation of the elastic lamina in Bruch's membrane may have a permissive effect on the growth of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). This study investigated the influence of defective elastic fiber maintenance in the development of laser-induced CNV. METHODS: A mouse lacking lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL)-1, an enzyme essential for elastin polymerization, was studied. The morphologic characteristics of the elastic lamina within Bruch's membrane were examined in mutant and wild-type (WT) eyes. Laser-induced CNV was evaluated by fluorescein angiography and choroidal flat mounts. Immunohistochemistry for elastin was performed on the CNV lesions, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were determined by ELISA. Soluble elastin and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) levels were also analyzed by immunoblotting. RESULTS: The elastic lamina of Bruch's membrane in the LOXL1-deficient mice was fragmented and less continuous than in the WT controls. The mutant mice showed increased levels of soluble elastin peptides and reduced elastin polymer deposition in neovascular membranes. Significantly larger CNV with greater leakage on fluorescein angiography developed in mutant mice. VEGF levels in the RPE/choroid were higher in the knockout mice on days 7 and 14 after laser (P < 0.05). MT1-MMP (MMP14) was also elevated after laser in the LOXL1 mutant eyes compared to the WT controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a systemic defect in elastic fiber deposition affects Bruch's membrane integrity and leads to more aggressive CNV growth. The latter may be partially mediated by abnormal signaling from the accumulation of soluble elastin peptides.

Multiple Functions of Lysyl Oxidase Like-2 in Oral Fibroproliferative Processes.

Gingival overgrowth is a side effect of certain medications, including calcium channel blockers, cyclosporin A, and phenytoin. Phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth is fibrotic. Lysyl oxidases are extracellular enzymes that are required for biosynthetic cross-linking of collagens, and members of this enzyme family are upregulated in fibrosis. Previous studies in humans and in a mouse model of phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth have shown that LOXL2 is elevated in the epithelium and connective tissue in gingival overgrowth tissues and not in normal tissues. Here, using a novel LOXL2 isoform-selective inhibitor and knockdown studies in loss- and gain-of-function studies, we investigated roles for LOXL2 in promoting cultures of human gingival fibroblasts to proliferate and to accumulate collagen. Data indicate that LOXL2 stimulates gingival fibroblast proliferation, likely by a platelet-derived growth factor B receptor-mediated mechanism. Moreover, collagen accumulation was stimulated by LOXL2 enzyme and inhibited by LOXL2 inhibitor or gene knockdown. These studies suggest that LOXL2 could serve as a potential therapeutic target to address oral fibrotic conditions.