title: Mucin-type O-glycans and their roles in intestinal homeostasis.
abstract: Mucin-type O-glycans are the primary constituents of mucins that are expressed on various mucosal sites of the body, especially the bacteria-laden intestinal tract. Mucins are the main components of mucus, which is secreted by goblet cells and forms a protective homeostatic barrier between the resident microbiota and the underlying immune cells in the colon. However, the specific role of mucin-type O-glycans in mucus barrier function has been uncertain. Recent studies utilizing mice deficient in key glycosyltransferases involved in O-glycan biosynthesis on intestinal mucins have underscored the importance of mucin-type O-glycosylation in mucus barrier function. This review will highlight recent advances in our understanding of mucin-type O-glycan function in the mucus barrier and how they promote mutualism with our resident microbiota.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
authors.forename: Kirk S B
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bergstrom
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry; D009077:Mucins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009077:Mucins; D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: colitis; intestinal homeostasis; microbiota; mucin; mucin-type O-glycans