HUGT2 Activators

HUGT2, also known as UDP-Glucose:Glycoprotein Glucosyltransferase 2, is an enzyme that plays a fundamental role in the quality control system of protein folding within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER is a cellular organelle responsible for the proper folding of proteins, a process that is vital for protein function.HUGT2 is part of the glycoprotein folding cycle, where it adds a glucose moiety to misfolded glycoproteins, enabling them to interact with the lectin chaperones calnexin and calreticulin. These chaperones assist in the correct folding of proteins. If a protein fails to fold correctly after multiple cycles, it is targeted for degradation to inhibit the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which can be harmful to the cell.

The activity of HUGT2 is essential for maintaining cellular protein homeostasis and inhibiting ER stress, a condition that arises from the accumulation of misfolded proteins and can trigger cell death if not resolved. ER stress is implicated in a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and cancer.In addition to protein folding, the enzyme HUGT2 can also influence other biological processes due to its role in glycosylation, a modification that can affect the stability, localization, and function of proteins.