YdjC chitooligosaccharide deacetylase homolog (YDJC)

YDJC is a human enzyme predicted to catalyze the deacetylation of acetylated carbohydrates, facilitating degradation of oligosaccharides and binding magnesium ions as a cofactor. In cancer biology, YDJC is upregulated during sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC)-induced EMT and promotes reorganization and phosphorylation of keratin 8 (K8), facilitating cell migration and invasion, especially in lung cancer cells. Loss of its deacetylase activity (as in the D13A mutant) abrogates these functions. YDJC interacts with CDC16, a negative regulator of keratin reorganization; when CDC16 is downregulated, YDJC’s promotion of EMT and metastatic phenotypes is more pronounced. Overexpression of YDJC correlates with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients, suggesting its utility as a biomarker and therapeutic target.

Other names

Carbohydrate deacetylaseUPF0249 protein ydjC homologYdjC homologYDJC

For putative drugs targeting YDJC, predicted mechanisms include inhibition of its deacetylase activity, which would block keratin reorganization, EMT, and cancer cell metastasis.