Role of GALNT2 on Insulin Sensitivity, Lipid Metabolism and Fat Homeostasis.
Alessandra AntonucciAntonella MarucciVincenzo TrischittaRosa Di PaolaPublished in: International journal of molecular sciences (2022)
O-linked glycosylation, the greatest form of post-translational modifications, plays a key role in regulating the majority of physiological processes. It is, therefore, not surprising that abnormal O-linked glycosylation has been related to several human diseases. Recently, GALNT2 , which encodes the GalNAc-transferase 2 involved in the first step of O-linked glycosylation, has attracted great attention as a possible player in many highly prevalent human metabolic diseases, including atherogenic dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and obesity, all clustered on the common ground of insulin resistance. Data available both in human and animal models point to GALNT2 as a molecule that shapes the risk of the aforementioned abnormalities affecting diverse protein functions, which eventually cause clinically distinct phenotypes (a typical example of pleiotropism). Pathways linking GALNT2 to dyslipidemia and insulin resistance have been partly identified, while those for type 2 diabetes and obesity are yet to be understood. Here, we will provide a brief overview on the present knowledge on GALNT2 function and dysfunction and propose novel insights on the complex pathogenesis of the aforementioned metabolic diseases, which all impose a heavy burden for patients, their families and the entire society.
Keyphrases
- insulin resistance
- type diabetes
- endothelial cells
- adipose tissue
- metabolic syndrome
- high fat diet
- high fat diet induced
- skeletal muscle
- glycemic control
- induced pluripotent stem cells
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- cardiovascular disease
- weight loss
- oxidative stress
- pluripotent stem cells
- newly diagnosed
- fatty acid
- weight gain
- big data
- risk factors
- binding protein