Why is fucosylation important?

Fucosylation is one of the most important oligosaccharide modifications involved in cancer and inflammation. Recent advances in glycomics have identified several types of glyco-biomarkers containing fucosylation that are linked to certain types of cancer.

Is fucose a protein?

Fucose is a common terminal modification on protein and lipid glycans. Fucose can also be directly linked to protein via an O-linkage to Serine or Threonine residues located within consensus sequences contained in Epidermal Growth Factor-like (EGF) repeats and Thrombospondin Type 1 Repeats (TSRs).

What is the function of fucose?

In mammals, fucose-containing glycans have important roles in blood transfusion reactions, selectin-mediated leukocyte-endothelial adhesion, host–microbe interactions, and numerous ontogenic events, including signaling events by the Notch receptor family.

What is core fucose?

Abstract. The core fucose, a major modification of N-glycans, is implicated in immune regulation, such as the attenuation of the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of antibody drugs and the inhibition of anti-tumor responses via the promotion of PD-1 expression on T cells.

What is the role of fucosylation in cancer biology?

Aberrant fucosylation due to the availability of high energy donor GDP-fucose, abnormal expression of FUTs and/or α-fucosidase, and the availability of their substrates leads to different fucosylated glycan or protein structures. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that aberrant fucosylation plays important role in all aspects of cancer biology.

What is the process of adding fucose to a molecule?

Fucosylation is the process of adding fucose sugar units to a molecule.

Which is an example of a fucosylated glycoprotein?

Some fucosylated glycoproteins such as antibodies, which recognize fucosylated sLeA/sLeX, have been used as cancer biomarkers. Stage-specific embryonic antigen 1 (SSEA-1/Lewis X (LeX)/CD15) is a nonsialylated, fucose-containing trisaccharide that is generated by FUT4.

Where does fucosylation occur in the small intestine?

Rapid fucosylation can occur in the epithelial lining of the small intestine as a protective mechanism to support the body’s symbiotic gut bacteria. This may regulate the bacterial genes responsible for quorum sensing or virulence, thus resulting in an increased tolerance of the infection.