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50 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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CALCA
calcitonin related polypeptide alpha
Chromosome 11 · 11p15.2
NCBI Gene: 796Ensembl: ENSG00000110680.14HGNC: HGNC:1437UniProt: P01258
542PubMed Papers
20Diseases
3Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
RESEARCH IMPACT
Highly Studied
CLINICAL
FDA Approved Target
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingcalcitonin family receptor signaling pathwayamylin receptor 2 signaling pathwaymonocyte chemotaxismigraine disorderhyperprolactinemiaAL amyloidosisIncreased circulating prolactin concentration
✦AI Summary

CALCA (calcitonin-related peptide alpha) encodes a potent neuropeptide hormone with primary roles in vasodilation and pain signaling. The peptide induces vasodilation across coronary, cerebral, and systemic vasculature through activation of the CALCRL-RAMP1 receptor complex 12, and can also activate the CALCR-RAMP1 (AMYR1) complex 3. CALCA functions as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator in the central nervous system 4 and elevates platelet cAMP 1. In developmental contexts, CALCA promotes placental angiogenesis by stimulating endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation, suggesting autocrine/paracrine regulation of fetal vascularization 5. CALCA is highly expressed in nociceptors, particularly in female C-nociceptors involved in pain perception 6. Clinically, CALCA variants associate with multiple pathologies: the CALCA rs3781719 C allele increases chr11 pain risk after cesarean section 7, while genetic variants in the 5' flanking region correlate with essential hypertension susceptibility 8. αCGRP (CALCA product) deficiency aggravates pulmonary fibrosis by promoting alveolar type 2 cell senescence and inflammation 9. These findings highlight CALCA's therapeutic potential for pain management, vascular disorders, and fibrotic diseases.

Sources cited
1
CALCA induces vasodilation via CALCRL-RAMP1 receptor and elevates platelet cAMP
PMID: 1318039
2
CALCA-mediated vasodilation occurs through CALCRL-RAMP1 complex activation
PMID: 33602864
3
CALCA can bind and activate CALCR-RAMP1 (AMYR1) receptor complex
PMID: 38603770
4
CALCA abundance in CNS indicates neurotransmitter or neuromodulator role
PMID: 3492492
5
CALCA promotes human placental angiogenesis through endothelial cell proliferation and migration
PMID: 17267696
6
CALCA expression is markedly increased in female pruritogen receptor-enriched nociceptors
PMID: 35171654
7
CALCA rs3781719 C allele is a risk factor for chronic postsurgical pain
PMID: 31441843
8
CALCA gene polymorphisms associate with essential hypertension susceptibility
PMID: 17485015
9
αCGRP (CALCA) deficiency promotes pulmonary fibrosis through AT2 cell senescence and inflammation
PMID: 41023452
Disease Associationsⓘ20
migraine disorderOpen Targets
0.73Strong
hyperprolactinemiaOpen Targets
0.46Moderate
AL amyloidosisOpen Targets
0.46Moderate
Increased circulating prolactin concentrationOpen Targets
0.46Moderate
PainOpen Targets
0.39Weak
COVID-19Open Targets
0.36Weak
diverticular diseaseOpen Targets
0.27Weak
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.26Weak
rheumatoid arthritisOpen Targets
0.12Weak
SepsisOpen Targets
0.12Weak
infectionOpen Targets
0.12Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.12Weak
acute kidney injuryOpen Targets
0.12Weak
bacterial diseaseOpen Targets
0.11Weak
medullary thyroid gland carcinomaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
bacteriemiaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
cancerOpen Targets
0.11Weak
pneumoniaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
atrial fibrillationOpen Targets
0.11Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Drug Targets3
EPTINEZUMABApproved
Calcitonin gene-related peptide inhibitor
migraine disorder
FREMANEZUMABApproved
Calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist
migraine disorder
GALCANEZUMABApproved
Calcitonin gene-related peptide inhibitor
migraine disorder
Related Genes
RAMP3Protein interaction100%RAMP1Protein interaction100%RAMP2Protein interaction100%CALCRLProtein interaction99%ADMProtein interaction99%IAPPProtein interaction99%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Lung
12%
Ovary
2%
Brain
1%
Heart
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
CALCARAMP3RAMP1RAMP2CALCRLADMIAPP
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB9AUC · 2.40 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.19LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.13Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.52 [0.26–1.19]
RankingsWhere CALCA stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #458of 20,598
    Most Researched542 · top 5%
  • #446of 1,025
    FDA-Approved Drug Targets3
  • #12,441of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.19
Genes detectedCALCA
Sources retrieved50 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
50▼
1
Spatial transcriptomics of dorsal root ganglia identifies molecular signatures of human nociceptors.
PMID: 35171654
Sci Transl Med · 2022
1.00
2
Procalcitonin.
PMID: 26124314
J Clin Pathol · 2015
0.90
3
Methylation of CALCA and CALCB in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.
PMID: 34394823
Oxid Med Cell Longev · 2021
0.88
4
MiR-30a relieves migraine by degrading CALCA.
PMID: 29687858
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · 2018
0.80
5
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CALCA) is a proangiogenic growth factor in the human placental development.
PMID: 17267696
Biol Reprod · 2007
0.80