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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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ANO2
anoctamin 2
Chromosome 12 · 12p13.31
NCBI Gene: 57101Ensembl: ENSG00000047617.18HGNC: HGNC:1183UniProt: F1T0L7
31PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Ion ChannelTransporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
plasma membraneprotein bindingprotein dimerization activityintracellularly calcium-gated chloride channel activityblood coagulation diseaseCOVID-19venous thromboembolismimmune system disease
✦AI Summary

ANO2 (anoctamin 2) is a calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC) with primary roles in sensory signal transduction. In olfaction, ANO2 amplifies odorant-induced depolarization by conducting chloride currents downstream of calcium-dependent signaling in olfactory receptor cells 1. ANO2 is also expressed in retinal photoreceptor cells and may contribute to light perception amplification 1. Additionally, ANO2 functions as a CaCC in taste cells, particularly type I and type II cells, where it serves as an effector downstream of P2Y receptor signaling 2. Clinically, ANO2 has emerged as an autoimmune target in multiple sclerosis (MS). Molecular mimicry between EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and ANO2 peptides drives cross-reactive CD4+ T cell and antibody responses in MS patients 3. ANO2-specific CD4+ T cells are significantly more frequent in MS patients, and immunization studies demonstrate that ANO2 can trigger exacerbated autoimmune encephalomyelitis 3. MS-specific IgG responses against ANO2 peptides have been documented 4, and these antibodies show cross-reactivity with EBNA1 5, supporting EBNA1 as a potential antigenic driver of MS pathology through molecular mimicry mechanisms. In ophthalmology, ANO2 genetic variants show potential clinical significance in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with the rs2110166 SNP associated with differential response to anti-VEGF treatment 6.

Sources cited
1
ANO2 is involved in olfaction and phototransduction in retinal photoreceptor cells
PMID: 26811235
2
ANO2 is expressed in taste cells and functions as a calcium-activated chloride channel downstream of P2Y receptor signaling
PMID: 26530828
3
ANO2-specific CD4+ T cells are more frequent in MS patients; cross-reactivity between EBNA1 and ANO2 drives autoimmune responses and exacerbated EAE
PMID: 41534529
4
MS-specific anti-ANO2 antibody responses are detected and suggest ANO2 as a target of molecular mimicry with EBNA1
PMID: 39742283
5
Cross-reactive antibodies exist between EBNA1 and ANO2 peptides in MS patients, with positive correlation in antibody levels
PMID: 39257578
6
ANO2 rs2110166 SNP is significantly associated with differential retinal function and visual acuity response to anti-VEGF treatment in neovascular AMD
PMID: 38980270
Disease Associationsⓘ20
blood coagulation diseaseOpen Targets
0.38Weak
COVID-19Open Targets
0.37Weak
venous thromboembolismOpen Targets
0.34Weak
immune system diseaseOpen Targets
0.31Weak
brain aneurysmOpen Targets
0.31Weak
adolescent idiopathic scoliosisOpen Targets
0.31Weak
panic disorderOpen Targets
0.30Weak
kidney diseaseOpen Targets
0.29Weak
Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.29Weak
knee injuryOpen Targets
0.28Weak
Hodgkins lymphomaOpen Targets
0.27Weak
Respiratory insufficiencyOpen Targets
0.27Weak
heart diseaseOpen Targets
0.26Weak
Pulmonary InfarctionOpen Targets
0.26Weak
disease of peritoneumOpen Targets
0.26Weak
pulmonary embolismOpen Targets
0.26Weak
cartilage diseaseOpen Targets
0.23Weak
liver diseaseOpen Targets
0.21Weak
hemorrhageOpen Targets
0.18Weak
Von Willebrand diseaseOpen Targets
0.16Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
ANO7Shared pathway100%TMC4Shared pathway100%ANO8Shared pathway100%CNGA2Protein interaction88%CNGA4Protein interaction88%CLCA2Protein interaction83%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Heart
100%
Lung
67%
Ovary
22%
Brain
11%
Liver
5%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
ANO2ANO7TMC4ANO8CNGA2CNGA4CLCA2
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q9NQ90
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.02LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.87 [0.74–1.02]
RankingsWhere ANO2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #11,660of 20,598
    Most Researched31
  • #10,050of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.02
Genes detectedANO2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Anoctamin-2-specific T cells link Epstein-Barr virus to multiple sclerosis.
PMID: 41534529
Cell · 2026
1.00
2
In-depth analysis of serum antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus lifecycle proteins, and EBNA1, ANO2, GlialCAM and CRYAB peptides in patients with multiple sclerosis.
PMID: 39742283
Front Immunol · 2024
0.90
3
Antibody reactivity against EBNA1 and GlialCAM differentiates multiple sclerosis patients from healthy controls.
PMID: 40063790
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2025
0.80
4
Enhanced and cross-reactive
PMID: 39257578
Front Immunol · 2024
0.70
5
ANO2 Genetic Variants and Anti-VEGF Treatment Response in Neovascular AMD: A Pharmacogenetic Substudy of VIEW 1 and VIEW 2.
PMID: 38980270
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci · 2024
0.60