title: Pharmacological properties of fucose. Applications in age-related modifications of connective tissues.
abstract: Fucose is the only component of glycoconjugates of vertebrates in the L-configuration. It exhibits a number of unique and interesting biological properties reviewed briefly in this article. Its constant end-standing position on glycan chains predisposes fucose to play a key role in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, mediated by several receptors such as those recognising the Lewis-type blood group substances, fucose-recognising lectines and the mannose-fucose receptors. Some of the as yet unstudied or less well understood properties of L-fucose were explored in the present study, as its non-enzymatic interaction with amine-groups on macromolecules, its cellular uptake attributed to specific transport mechanisms and its effect on fibroblast cell cultures. We could document the stimulation of cell-proliferation and the inhibition of MMP-expression and activation, both for MMP-2 and MMP-9. These and the other shortly reviewed properties of L-fucose may play an important role in its biological applications and actions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Universitaire de Recherche en Ophtalmologie, Faculté de Médecine Broussais-Hôtel Dieu, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), 1, place du Parvis-Notre-Dame, 75181 Paris cedex 4, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Péterszegi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fodil-Bourahla
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005643:Fucose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005643:Fucose; D005947:Glucose