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MUC4 O-GlcNAcylation Regulates the Epithelial Phenotype in Conjunctival Epithelial Cells

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Abstract

In the present study, our aim was to explore the role of MUC4 in IL-4-stimulated conjunctival epithelial cells and the underlying mechanisms. Human recombinant IL-4 was employed in human conjunctival epithelial cells (HConEpic) cells, and MUC4 shRNA (sh-MUC4) was constructed to explore the functional role of MUC4. The protein level of MUC4, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), O-GlcNAc hydrolase (OGA), zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2), claudin-8 (CLDN8), and E-cadherin were detected by Western blot in HConEpic cells, the interaction between MUC4 and OGT/OGA was assessed by co-immunoprecipitation (IP) and Western blot in 293T cells. Our results showed that IL-4 significantly up-regulated MUC4 and OGT protein levels in HConEpic cells, while down-regulated OGA protein level. Also, IL-4 down-regulated ZO-1, GJB2, CLDN8, and E-cadherin protein levels in HConEpic cells, while which was markedly reversed by sh-MUC4. Additionally, OGT inhibitor significantly reduced MUC4 protein level, and elevated ZO-1, GJB2, CLDN8, and E-cadherin protein levels in HConEpic cells, while OGA inhibitor resulted in the opposite results. Furthermore, in addition to the interaction between OGT/OGA and MUC4, Co-IP and Western blot also revealed the alteration of MUC4 O-GlcNAcylation in 293T cells treated with OGT/OGA inhibitor. Above findings suggested that OGT/OGA inhibitor regulated MUC4 protein level by affecting MUC4 O-GlcNAcylation to regulate ZO-1, GJB2, CLDN8, and E-cadherin protein levels in HConEpic cells, which was achieved via inhibiting the interaction between OGT/OGA and MUC4. This study may provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of allergic conjunctivitis (AC).

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Data Availability

The supporting data used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author.

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  1. Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, NO.1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China

    Wei-Wei Xiong, Zi-Jing Ouyang, Yi Tan, Li-Wen Xu & Xiao-Wei Peng

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  1. Wei-Wei Xiong
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  2. Zi-Jing Ouyang
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  3. Yi Tan
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  4. Li-Wen Xu
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  5. Xiao-Wei Peng
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WWX designed the study and drafted the paper; WWX, ZJO, YT performed the experiments; LWX, XWP analyzed the data; XWP revised the paper. All authors read and approved the paper.

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Correspondence to Xiao-Wei Peng.

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Xiong, WW., Ouyang, ZJ., Tan, Y. et al. MUC4 O-GlcNAcylation Regulates the Epithelial Phenotype in Conjunctival Epithelial Cells. Biochem Genet (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10528-024-10791-9

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