UGT2A1 explained

UDP glucuronosyltransferase 2 family, polypeptide B1, also known as UGT2B1, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the UGT2B1 gene.^{[1] [2]}

Function

The olfactory neuroepithelium, which lines the posterior nasal cavity, is exposed to a wide range of odorants and airborne toxic compounds. Odorants, which are mostly small lipophilic molecules, enter the mucus flow and reach the odorant receptors on sensory neurons. Odorant sensing is generally a transient process, requiring an effective signal termination, which could be provided by biotransformation of the odorant in the epithelial supporting cells. Xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the olfactory epithelium have been suggested to catalyze inactivation and facilitate elimination of odorants.^[2] UGT2A1 and UGT2A2 were recently implicated as having a role in the loss of smell associated with COVID-19.^[3]

Further reading

• Iida A, Saito S, Sekine A, etal . Catalog of 86 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in three uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase genes: UGT2A1, UGT2B15, and UGT8. . J. Hum. Genet. . 47 . 10 . 505–10 . 2002 . 12376738 . 10.1007/s100380200075 . free .
• Tukey RH, Strassburg CP . Genetic multiplicity of the human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases and regulation in the gastrointestinal tract. . Mol. Pharmacol. . 59 . 3 . 405–14 . 2001 . 11179432 . 10.1124/mol.59.3.405. 21500183 .
• Strassburg CP, Kneip S, Topp J, etal . Polymorphic gene regulation and interindividual variation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in human small intestine. . J. Biol. Chem. . 275 . 46 . 36164–71 . 2000 . 10748067 . 10.1074/jbc.M002180200 . free .
• Heydel J, Leclerc S, Bernard P, etal . Rat olfactory bulb and epithelium UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2A1 (UGT2A1) expression: in situ mRNA localization and quantitative analysis. . Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res. . 90 . 1 . 83–92 . 2001 . 11376859 . 10.1016/S0169-328X(01)00080-8 .
• Saito A, Kawamoto M, Kamatani N . Association study between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 199 drug-related genes and commonly measured quantitative traits of 752 healthy Japanese subjects. . J. Hum. Genet. . 54 . 6 . 317–23 . 2009 . 19343046 . 10.1038/jhg.2009.31 . free .
• Ross CJ, Katzov-Eckert H, Dubé MP, etal . Genetic variants in TPMT and COMT are associated with hearing loss in children receiving cisplatin chemotherapy. . Nat. Genet. . 41 . 12 . 1345–9 . 2009 . 19898482 . 10.1038/ng.478 . 21293339 .
• Mackenzie PI, Bock KW, Burchell B, etal . Nomenclature update for the mammalian UDP glycosyltransferase (UGT) gene superfamily. . Pharmacogenet. Genomics . 15 . 10 . 677–85 . 2005 . 16141793 . 10.1097/01.fpc.0000173483.13689.56.

Notes and References

1. Jedlitschky G, Cassidy AJ, Sales M, Pratt N, Burchell B . Cloning and characterization of a novel human olfactory UDP-glucuronosyltransferase . Biochem. J. . 340 . 3. 837–43 . June 1999 . 10359671 . 1220318 . 10.1042/0264-6021:3400837.
2. Web site: Entrez Gene: UGT2B1 UDP glucuronosyltransferase 2 family, polypeptide B1.
3. The UGT2A1/UGT2A2 locus is associated with COVID-19-related anosmia | medRxiv . 2021 . Shelton . Janie F. . Shastri . Anjali J. . Aslibekyan . Stella . Auton . Adam . Auton . Adam . 10.1101/2021.05.28.21257993v1.