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FUT2-Mediated Fucosylation of OLFM4 Promotes Colon Cancer Cell Differentiation
Caihan Duan1, Keyi Zhang1, Lingzhi Hou1
1Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China, hust.edu.cn.
Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
|June 30, 2026
Summary
Fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) promotes colon cancer cell differentiation by modifying olfactomedin-4 (OLFM4) fucosylation. This finding suggests FUT2 as a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) deficiency is linked to increased inflammation and colon cancer risk.
- The exact role of FUT2 in colon cancer cell differentiation and its mechanism are not fully understood.
- The interaction between FUT2 and the tumor-suppressive protein olfactomedin-4 (OLFM4) in colon cancer is unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) in colon cancer cell differentiation.
- To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of FUT2 in colon cancer.
- To explore the functional interaction between FUT2 and olfactomedin-4 (OLFM4).
Main Methods:
- Assessed FUT2 expression using TCGA and cBioPortal databases and colon cancer cell lines.
- Evaluated FUT2's effect on cell differentiation, migration, invasion, EMT, and stemness.
- Utilized N-glycosylation proteomics and UEA-I chromatography to identify FUT2's regulation of OLFM4 fucosylation.
Main Results:
- FUT2 expression correlated with colon cancer cell differentiation.
- Overexpressing FUT2 promoted differentiation and inhibited malignancy, while knockdown increased it.
- FUT2 mediates OLFM4 fucosylation, which is crucial for cancer cell differentiation.
Conclusions:
- FUT2 promotes colon cancer cell differentiation via OLFM4 fucosylation.
- FUT2 represents a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer.
