FUT7, also known as fucosyltransferase VII or α1,3-Fucosyltransferase 7, is an enzyme that catalyzes the addition of fucose residues to glycoproteins and glycolipids, specifically involved in the synthesis of selectin ligands through α1,3-fucosylation. This process is crucial for cell-cell adhesion, immune cell trafficking, and inflammation regulation [7,8].

FUT7 has been found to play significant roles in multiple diseases. In bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), its up-regulation promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune infiltration, and patients with high FUT7 levels have lower survival rates [1]. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), although the relevant paper was retracted [6], the original study suggested that FUT7 promoted cell adhesion and invasion through the integrin/FAK/AKT pathway [2]. In follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), FUT7 overexpression enhances cell proliferation, EMT, migration, and invasion by catalyzing the α1,3-fucosylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) [3]. In lung cancer, FUT7 hypomethylation in blood may serve as a biomarker for early-stage detection [4,5]. In hereditary multiple exostoses, a missense mutation in FUT7 affects its cellular localization, regulates cell proliferation, and interacts with EXT1 in chondrocyte regulation [9].

In conclusion, FUT7 is essential for processes related to cell-cell adhesion and immune response. Its dysregulation is associated with various cancers and a skeletal disorder. Studies on FUT7, potentially including gene knockout or knockdown models in the future, contribute to understanding disease mechanisms and may offer new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for related diseases.

References:

1. Liu, Mulin, Zheng, Qin, Chen, Siyi, Liu, Jiwei, Li, Shijun. 2021. FUT7 Promotes the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Immune Infiltration in Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma. In Journal of inflammation research, 14, 1069-1084. doi:10.2147/JIR.S296597. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33790621/

2. He, Fei, Yi, Lijun, Lai, Changcheng. 2022. Fut7 Promotes Adhesion and Invasion of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells through the Integrin/Fak/Akt Pathway. In Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2022, 1864116. doi:10.1155/2022/1864116. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35795270/

3. Qin, Huamin, Liu, Jianwei, Yu, Ming, Yan, Qiu, Wang, Lifen. 2020. FUT7 promotes the malignant transformation of follicular thyroid carcinoma through α1,3-fucosylation of EGF receptor. In Experimental cell research, 393, 112095. doi:10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112095. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32442537/

4. Qiao, Rong, Di, Feifei, Wang, Jun, Han, Baohui, Yang, Rongxi. 2023. Identification of FUT7 hypomethylation as the blood biomarker in the prediction of early-stage lung cancer. In Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao, 50, 573-581. doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2023.02.014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36898609/

5. Fang, Yifei, Qu, Yunhui, Ji, Longtao, Dai, Liping, Ouyang, Songyun. 2022. Novel blood-based FUT7 DNA methylation is associated with lung cancer: especially for lung squamous cell carcinoma. In Clinical epigenetics, 14, 167. doi:10.1186/s13148-022-01389-2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36463240/

6. And Alternative Medicine, Evidence-Based Complementary. 2023. Retracted: Fut7 Promotes Adhesion and Invasion of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells through the Integrin/Fak/Akt Pathway. In Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2023, 9786508. doi:10.1155/2023/9786508. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37829639/

7. Wu, Chia-Hsien, Inoue, Tsuyoshi, Nakamura, Yasuna, Nangaku, Masaomi, Inagi, Reiko. 2021. Activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors attenuates monocyte-endothelial adhesion through FUT7 inhibition. In Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 590, 89-96. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.12.094. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34973535/

8. Zhang, Jun, Ju, Nana, Yang, Xi, Chen, Linmu, Yu, Chao. 2017. The α1,3-fucosyltransferase FUT7 regulates IL-1β-induced monocyte-endothelial adhesion via fucosylation of endomucin. In Life sciences, 192, 231-237. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2017.11.017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29138114/

9. Peng, Wan, Li, Gao-Fei, Lin, Guo-Wang, Xie, Xian-Biao, Bei, Jin-Xin. 2024. Identification of novel germline mutations in FUT7 and EXT1 linked with hereditary multiple exostoses. In Oncogene, 44, 835-848. doi:10.1038/s41388-024-03254-3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39690272/