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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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FETUB
fetuin B
Chromosome 3 · 3q27.3
NCBI Gene: 26998Ensembl: ENSG00000090512.12HGNC: HGNC:3658UniProt: B7Z8T3
39PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingextracellular exosomemetalloendopeptidase inhibitor activitysingle fertilizationpolycystic ovary syndromeInsulin resistanceFemale infertility due to fertilization defectmetabolic syndrome
✦AI Summary

FETUB (fetuin B) is a glycoprotein protease inhibitor with diverse physiological roles. Traditionally, FETUB is required for proper egg fertilization by inhibiting the metalloprotease ASTL, thereby preventing premature zona pellucida hardening before sperm-egg fusion 1. However, emerging evidence reveals pathological functions in respiratory and metabolic diseases. In asthma, epithelial-derived FETUB exacerbates airway inflammation by inhibiting neprilysin (NEP) activity, leading to accumulation of neuropeptides CGRP and SP; IL-13 induces epithelial FETUB expression, and lung-specific FETUB knockdown improves airway hyperresponsiveness 2. In diabetic retinopathy, FETUB interacts with insulin receptor-β to suppress insulin signaling via the PI3K/Akt pathway in retinal cells 3. FETUB elevation correlates with COPD severity, predicting acute exacerbation and lung function decline 4. Additionally, FETUB links vitamin D deficiency to pediatric obesity through direct VD/VDR-mediated regulation 5. FETUB has emerged as a biomarker in TB diagnosis, with a 6-protein panel including FETUB distinguishing pulmonary TB patients from healthy controls and other respiratory infections 6. In asthma specifically, FETUB represents a hub gene in modules correlating with elevated IgE in youth 7, suggesting neuroimmune coregulation. These findings indicate FETUB functions as both a reproductive protease inhibitor and a pathogenic mediator in inflammatory and metabolic disorders.

Sources cited
1
FETUB inhibits ASTL activity to prevent premature zona pellucida hardening during fertilization
PMID: 37363721
2
Epithelial FETUB inhibits NEP activity, elevating neuropeptides CGRP and SP; IL-13 induces FETUB expression; lung-specific FETUB knockdown improves asthma
PMID: 40064057
3
FETUB interacts with insulin receptor-β and suppresses insulin signaling in retinal cells via PI3K/Akt pathway
PMID: 39382879
4
Plasma FETUB elevation correlates with COPD severity and predicts acute exacerbation
PMID: 27443820
5
FETUB links vitamin D deficiency to pediatric obesity; VD/VDR directly regulate FETUB synthesis
PMID: 29684480
6
FETUB is part of a 6-protein diagnostic panel distinguishing pulmonary TB from healthy controls and other respiratory infections
PMID: 38512356
7
FETUB is a hub gene in nasal epithelial modules correlating with elevated total IgE in youth with asthma
PMID: 37742934
Disease Associationsⓘ20
polycystic ovary syndromeOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
Insulin resistanceOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
Female infertility due to fertilization defectOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
metabolic syndromeOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
female infertility due to oocyte meiotic arrestOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
azoospermiaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
oocyte maturation defect 14Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
oocyte maturation defect 5Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 12Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
oocyte maturation defect 13Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
oocyte/zygote/embryo maturation arrest 21Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
oocyte maturation defect 12Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
Hydatidiform MoleOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
oocyte maturation defect 9Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
obesityOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
premature ovarian failure 19Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 20Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 61Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 88Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
MEP1AProtein interaction90%ASTLProtein interaction70%SPA17Shared pathway40%TEX46Shared pathway33%LY6KShared pathway33%SPAM1Shared pathway33%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Brain
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Ovary
0%
Lung
0%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
FETUBMEP1AASTLSPA17TEX46LY6KSPAM1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB7UAI · 2.80 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.19LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.73 [0.47–1.19]
RankingsWhere FETUB stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #10,323of 20,598
    Most Researched39
  • #12,476of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.19
Genes detectedFETUB
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Epithelial FETUB-mediated the inhibition of NEP activity aggravates asthma.
PMID: 40064057
Int Immunopharmacol · 2025
1.00
2
Fetuin-B Interacts With Insulin Receptor-β and Promotes Insulin Resistance in Retina Cells.
PMID: 39382879
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci · 2024
0.90
3
Nasal epithelial gene expression and total IgE in children and adolescents with asthma.
PMID: 37742934
J Allergy Clin Immunol · 2024
0.80
4
PMID: 37363721
Front Cell Dev Biol · 2023
0.70
5
Integrated plasma proteomics identifies tuberculosis-specific diagnostic biomarkers.
PMID: 38512356
JCI Insight · 2024
0.60