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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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CD68
CD68 molecule
Chromosome 17 · 17p13.1
NCBI Gene: 968Ensembl: ENSG00000129226.15HGNC: HGNC:1693UniProt: P34810
107PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Hub Gene
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
plasma membraneprotein bindingnegative regulation of dendritic cell antigen processing and presentationcellular response to nutrient levelsneurodegenerative diseaseneoplasmhepatocellular carcinomaglioma
✦AI Summary

CD68 is a macrophage-associated glycoprotein expressed on tissue macrophages and microglia that plays multifaceted roles in immune surveillance and tissue homeostasis. Functionally, CD68 contributes to phagocytic activities through intracellular lysosomal metabolism and extracellular cell-cell interactions, with rapid recycling from endosomes and lysosomes to the plasma membrane facilitating macrophage migration and selectin-binding [UniProt]. The protein functions as a marker for tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) across multiple malignancies. In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, CD68+ TAMs show increased expression in chemotherapy-resistant patients, though their association with tumor angiogenesis is less pronounced than mast cells 1. In gliomas, elevated CD68 expression on both microglia and tumor cells significantly correlates with malignancy and predicts shorter overall survival, suggesting involvement in glioma progression 2. CD68 serves as a reliable immunohistochemical marker for identifying macrophages and dendritic cells in histiocytic disorders 3 and is recognized as a standard microglial marker in central nervous system studies 4. Clinically, in breast carcinoma, combined high CD68 and CD47 expression independently predicts poor overall survival, positioning CD68 as a valuable prognostic indicator and potential immunotherapy target 5.

Sources cited
1
CD68+ TAMs increased in chemotherapy-resistant DLBCL patients; CD68 correlation with microvascular density not significant unlike mast cells
PMID: 25293515
2
High CD68 expression in glioma cells and microglia significantly predicts shorter overall survival and indicates glioma malignancy
PMID: 19661345
3
CD68 (KP1) immunohistochemical positivity identifies macrophage/dendritic cell lineage in histiocytic lesions
PMID: 9602335
4
CD68 is a recognized microglial marker identifying both normal and activated microglia in central nervous system
PMID: 26390545
5
Combined high CD68+ TAM infiltration and CD47 expression independently predicts poor overall survival in breast cancer
PMID: 39068587
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.37Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.12Weak
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
gliomaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
strokeOpen Targets
0.10Weak
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.10Weak
oral squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Weak
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
head and neck squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
diffuse large B-cell lymphomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
Townes-Brocks syndromeOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
amyotrophic lateral sclerosisOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
rheumatoid arthritisOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
esophageal squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
chronic myelogenous leukemiaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
CCR5Protein interaction100%CD8AProtein interaction100%IFNGProtein interaction99%PTPRCProtein interaction98%FOXP3Protein interaction98%IL10Protein interaction98%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Lung
100%
Bone Marrow
96%
Liver
35%
Brain
24%
Ovary
8%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
CD68CCR5CD8AIFNGPTPRCFOXP3IL10
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt P34810
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.01LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.72 [0.52–1.01]
RankingsWhere CD68 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #4,426of 20,598
    Most Researched107 · top quartile
  • #9,879of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.01
Genes detectedCD68
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Chloromas.
PMID: 18500594
Wien Klin Wochenschr · 2008
1.00
2
Microvascular density, CD68 and tryptase expression in human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
PMID: 25293515
Leuk Res · 2014
0.90
3
Prognostic impact of CD68 and kallikrein 6 in human glioma.
PMID: 19661345
Anticancer Res · 2009
0.80
4
Xanthomatosis coli.
PMID: 22813443
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol · 2013
0.70
5
Crystal-storing histiocytosis.
PMID: 20373527
Blood · 2010
0.60