FUT2 Antibody
Description
Introduction to FUT2 Antibody
FUT2 Antibody is a research reagent used to detect the protein product of the FUT2 gene, which encodes galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase 2. This enzyme is critical in synthesizing histoblood group antigens (HBGA), which determine the secretor status of ABO blood group antigens in body fluids . FUT2 antibodies are employed in immunological assays to study disease mechanisms, pathogen interactions, and therapeutic targets.
3.1. Disease Mechanism Studies
FUT2 antibodies are pivotal in elucidating the role of FUT2 in:
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Lung Adenocarcinoma: FUT2 overexpression correlates with tumor progression. Knockdown reduces cell migration, invasion, and promotes apoptosis by modulating proteins like E-cadherin, MMP2/9, and Bcl-2 .
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Non-secretor FUT2 genotypes (lacking HBGA) are linked to IBD risk due to dysregulated gut microbiota .
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Viral Susceptibility: Secretors (HBGA-positive) are more susceptible to norovirus and rotavirus infections, while non-secretors show resistance .
3.2. Microbiota and Immune Regulation
FUT2 antibodies aid in studying host-microbe interactions:
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Treg Cell Modulation: Secretor FUT2 alleles correlate with higher regulatory T cell (Treg) frequencies, potentially reducing inflammation .
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Rotavirus Infection: Anti-rotavirus antibodies are more prevalent in secretors, suggesting FUT2 influences viral attachment and immune responses .
4.1. Clinical Associations
4.2. Molecular Mechanisms
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Apoptosis Regulation: FUT2 knockdown upregulates P53 and downregulates Bcl-2, enhancing apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells .
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Microbiota Dysbiosis: Non-secretors exhibit reduced Lactobacillus and altered gut microbiota, exacerbating IBD .
5.1. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential
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Biomarker Development: FUT2 expression levels may serve as prognostic markers for lung cancer .
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Vaccine Strategies: FUT2 polymorphisms could inform personalized vaccines for rotavirus and norovirus .
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Targeted Therapies: Inhibiting FUT2 may suppress tumor growth in lung adenocarcinoma, though mechanisms require further study .
5.2. Limitations and Future Directions
Product Specs
Constituents: 50% Glycerol, 0.01M Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS), pH 7.4
Target Background
Q&A
Basic Research Questions
How does FUT2 genotype influence experimental design for studying host-pathogen interactions?
FUT2’s role in synthesizing α1,2-fucosylated glycans makes it critical for pathogen adhesion studies (e.g., norovirus, rotavirus). Researchers must:
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Genotype participants: Classify as secretors (functional FUT2) or nonsecretors (non-functional FUT2) using SNPs like rs601338 or rs1047781 .
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Select model systems: Use human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) with CRISPR-edited FUT2 to isolate its role in viral binding/replication .
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Control for microbiota: FUT2 status correlates with Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance, which modulates regulatory T cells (Tregs) .
Example Experimental Workflow
What validation steps ensure FUT2 antibody specificity in Western blotting?
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Epitope mapping: Use antibodies targeting specific domains (e.g., AA 51-150 for clone 4C12) .
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Knockout controls: Compare signals in wild-type vs. CRISPR FUT2-KO cell lines .
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Cross-reactivity checks: Test reactivity against homologs (e.g., FUT1) via peptide blocking assays .
Advanced Research Questions
How to resolve contradictory data on FUT2’s role in viral susceptibility?
Some studies report nonsecretors as resistant to rotavirus, yet others detect infections in this group . Methodological considerations:
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Strain specificity: GII.3 norovirus infects some nonsecretor HIEs, unlike GII.4 .
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Antibody thresholds: Neutralizing antibody titers vary; use quantitative ELISA (cutoff ≥1/50) to stratify high/low responders .
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Microbiota confounders: Analyze fecal F. prausnitzii levels via 16S rRNA sequencing, as they modulate Tregs independently of FUT2 .
What mechanisms link FUT2 polymorphisms to cancer progression (e.g., HCC)?
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SNP association: rs1047781 (T allele) correlates with tumor size/stage in HCC (OR = 1.8, p = 0.022) .
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Functional validation: Overexpress FUT2 in HCC cell lines and monitor fucosylation via lectin arrays (e.g., UEA-I binding).
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Pathway analysis: Integrate RNA-seq data to identify FUT2-regulated genes (e.g., MMP9, VEGF) .
How to model FUT2-microbiota-immune interactions in vitro?
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Co-culture systems: Combine FUT2-KO HIEs with F. prausnitzii to quantify Treg induction (e.g., IL-10 secretion) .
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Glycan arrays: Profile FUT2-dependent glycans that bind bacterial adhesins (e.g., Lactobacillus spp.) .
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Single-cell RNA-seq: Identify epithelial-immune crosstalk pathways in secretors vs. nonsecretors.
Data Contradiction Analysis
Methodological Recommendations
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Antibody selection: Use monoclonal antibodies (e.g., clone 4C12) for WB/ELISA with GST-tagged controls .
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Statistical rigor: For SNP studies, apply Bonferroni correction (α = 0.0125 for 4 SNPs) to avoid false positives .
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Data repositories: Deposit raw sequencing data in ENA (e.g., ERP144000) for reproducibility .
