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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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FABP7
fatty acid binding protein 7
Chromosome 6 · 6q22.31
NCBI Gene: 2173Ensembl: ENSG00000164434.12HGNC: HGNC:3562UniProt: A0A077H155
91PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Transporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingcytosolfatty acid bindingfatty acid transportidiopathic pulmonary fibrosisneoplasmtemporomandibular joint disorderbreast disease
✦AI Summary

FABP7 (fatty acid binding protein 7) is a brain-type fatty acid binding protein primarily expressed in astrocytes and radial glia that regulates lipid metabolism and transport in the central nervous system. Primary function involves facilitating fatty acid transport to cellular organelles and mediating lipid-dependent signaling 1. During CNS development, FABP7 is required for establishing the radial glial fiber system essential for neuronal migration and cortical layer formation. Mechanistically, FABP7 binds polyunsaturated fatty acids and endocannabinoids, modulating downstream signaling through MEK1/2 phosphorylation and NF-κB-driven inflammatory pathways 23. The protein also regulates glycolytic switching and mitochondrial function, influencing cellular energy metabolism and lipid composition 4. Disease relevance is substantial across multiple conditions. In autism spectrum disorder, FABP7 deficiency causes premature neural differentiation through dysregulation of the FABP7/MEK pathway 2. In Alzheimer's disease, FABP7 is upregulated in astrocytes surrounding amyloid plaques and drives NF-κB-dependent neuroinflammation 3. FABP7 elevation correlates with progressive multiple sclerosis severity and disability 4. In cancer, FABP7 upregulation enables ferroptosis evasion and immunotherapy resistance by reprogramming lipid metabolism 56. Clinically, elevated FABP7 expression predicts poor immunotherapy outcomes and represents a potential therapeutic target across neurodegenerative and malignant diseases 54.

Sources cited
1
FABP7 upregulation enables cancer cells to evade immune-mediated ferroptosis by reprogramming lipid metabolism and disrupting circadian regulation; higher FABP7 correlates with poorer overall survival in immunotherapy patients
PMID: 39901247
2
FABP7 deficiency causes premature neural differentiation in autism organoids through dysregulation of MEK1/2 phosphorylation; FABP7-knockdown mice exhibit autism-relevant behaviors
PMID: 39556706
3
FABP7 is upregulated in Alzheimer's disease astrocytes and drives NF-κB-dependent inflammatory response; ligand-binding is required for inflammatory activation
PMID: 37688656
4
FABP7 facilitates fatty acid transport and metabolism; high expression correlates with poor prognosis in multiple tumor types
PMID: 30245263
5
FABP7 is elevated in progressive multiple sclerosis serum and CSF; induces pro-inflammatory monocyte phenotype via glycolytic switch; correlates with disability scores
PMID: 40595541
6
FABP7 upregulation in liver macrophages accumulates lipid droplets in pre-metastatic niche through HIF-1α signaling; genetic knockout reduces liver metastasis
PMID: 40765822
7
FABP7 mediates the ApoE-SORT1 signaling cascade involving PUFA and endocannabinoid regulation; links sleep disruption and lipid homeostasis to Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology
PMID: 41154661
Disease Associationsⓘ20
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosisOpen Targets
0.30Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.11Weak
temporomandibular joint disorderOpen Targets
0.11Weak
breast diseaseOpen Targets
0.11Weak
glioblastoma multiformeOpen Targets
0.11Weak
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.11Weak
gliomaOpen Targets
0.10Weak
renal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
melanomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
nonpapillary renal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
Blackfan-Diamond anemiaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
myeloid sarcomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
ependymomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
ocular hypotensionOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
schizophreniaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
glioblastomaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin-sickle cell disease syndromeOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin - beta-thalassemiaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
RBPJProtein interaction100%S100BProtein interaction93%NESProtein interaction89%FAAHProtein interaction84%SLC1A3Protein interaction79%PAX6Protein interaction77%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Liver
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Ovary
0%
Lung
0%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
FABP7RBPJS100BNESFAAHSLC1A3PAX6
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB6L9O · 1.42 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.36LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.86 [0.56–1.36]
RankingsWhere FABP7 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #5,243of 20,598
    Most Researched91
  • #14,224of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.36
Genes detectedFABP7
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Cancer cells avoid ferroptosis induced by immune cells via fatty acid binding proteins.
PMID: 39901247
Mol Cancer · 2025
1.00
2
Deficiency of FABP7 Triggers Premature Neural Differentiation in Idiopathic Normocephalic Autism Organoids.
PMID: 39556706
Adv Sci (Weinh) · 2025
0.90
3
FABP7 drives an inflammatory response in human astrocytes and is upregulated in Alzheimer's disease.
PMID: 37688656
Geroscience · 2024
0.80
4
Role of FABP7 in tumor cell signaling.
PMID: 30245263
Adv Biol Regul · 2019
0.70
5
FABP7 is increased in progressive multiple sclerosis and induces a pro-inflammatory phenotype in monocytes through a glycolytic switch.
PMID: 40595541
Nat Commun · 2025
0.60