Role of α1,3-Fucosyltransferases in the Mammalian Brain and Their Association with Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Abstract

Fucosylation is a post-translational modification that involves addition of L-fucose sugar to N-acetylglucosamine or galactose residues of glycoconjugates. The increased complexity and diversity of glycan complexes afforded by fucosylation contributes to distinct features of cell surfaces for self-recognition and communication with other cells. Aberrant expression of enzymes that drive fucosylation is linked to impaired cell–cell interactions under various physiological circumstances. Several aspects of this impairment are well-established in cancer and immune responses, but whether fucosyltransferases (FUTs), particularly α1,3-FUTs, which are abundantly expressed during embryogenesis, play a significant role in brain development is unclear. In this review, we consider recent findings concerning the roles of α1,3-FUTs in the developing and adult brain, as well as how these enzymes could be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders.