O-GlcNAcylation in Endocrinology: The Sweet Link

Abstract O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic post-translational modification that involves the addition of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to the serine and threonine residues of proteins. Over the past four decades, this modification has become increasingly recognized as having a critical influence in the field of endocrinology. The carefully controlled hormonal input for regulating sleep, mood, response to stress, growth and development, and metabolism are often associated with O-GlcNAc-dependent signaling. As protein O-GlcNAcylation patterns are heavily dependent on environmental glucose concentrations, hormone-secreting cells sense the changes in local environmental glucose concentrations and adjust hormone secretion accordingly. This ability of cells to sense nutritional cues and fine-tune hormonal production is particularly relevant towards maintaining a functional and responsive endocrine system, therefore emphasizing the importance of O-GlcNAc in the scope and application of endocrinology. This review examines how O-GlcNAcylation participates in hormonal homeostasis in different endocrine tissues and systems, from the pineal gland to the placenta, and underscores the significance of O-GlcNAc in the field of endocrinology.