The relationship between serum alpha-(1,6)-fucosyltransferase (FUT8) levels and diagnosis and clinical features in epilepsy

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of serum alpha-(1,6)-fucosyltransferase (FUT8) levels and their association with clinical features in adult patients with epilepsy. While previous research has reported elevated FUT8 levels in children with epilepsy, particularly in drug-resistant cases, this study represents the first evaluation of FUT8 levels in an adult epilepsy population. The study was conducted with the approval of the Ethics Committee of Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine. A total of 96 adult epilepsy patients and 54 healthy controls were included. Clinical, demographic, electroencephalographic (EEG), and radiological data were recorded. Serum FUT8 levels were measured using the ELISA method. Comparative analyses were performed between the epilepsy and control groups. Serum FUT8 levels were found to be significantly lower in the epilepsy group compared to healthy controls. No statistically significant differences in FUT8 levels were observed when evaluated by sex, age, BMI, seizure type, epilepsy duration, seizure frequency, EEG/MRI findings, or types of antiepileptic drugs used. Correlation analyses also revealed no significant relationship between FUT8 levels and clinical variables. Contrary to previous findings in pediatric epilepsy, the reduced FUT8 levels observed in adults may reflect age-related epigenetic mechanisms—such as DNA methylation and microRNA-mediated translational repression—leading to downregulation of FUT8 expression. Disruption in glycosylation pathways may contribute to epileptogenesis by impairing the function of neuronal surface proteins and destabilizing synaptic signaling. Furthermore, FUT8 may play a role in neuroinflammation and glial hypersensitivity, making it a potential biomarker for epileptic vulnerability. The findings suggest that FUT8 may serve as a potential biomarker for epilepsy diagnosis, although it appears unrelated to clinical characteristics. The study highlights the need for further research into glycosylation and age-dependent epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in epileptogenesis. As the first study to evaluate serum FUT8 levels in adult epilepsy patients, this research offers a novel contribution to the literature.