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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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GRIN2C
glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 2C
Chromosome 17 · 17q25.1
NCBI Gene: 2905Ensembl: ENSG00000161509.14HGNC: HGNC:4587UniProt: A0A8D9PH81
92PubMed Papers
20Diseases
28Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Ion ChannelReceptorTransporter
CLINICAL
FDA Approved Target
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
NMDA selective glutamate receptor complexNMDA glutamate receptor activityplasma membraneprotein bindingAlzheimer diseaseParkinson diseaseinfluenzainfection
✦AI Summary

GRIN2C encodes the GluN2C subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), heterotetrameric ligand-gated cation channels with high calcium permeability 12. Channel activation requires L-glutamate binding to GluN2C, glycine/D-serine binding to GluN1, and membrane depolarization to relieve Mg2+ blockade 12. GluN2C confers unique kinetic properties including activation, deactivation, and desensitization rates 1. The subunit mediates potassium efflux and calcium/sodium influx, participating in synaptic plasticity, learning, and long-term potentiation. GluN2C expression is dynamically regulated by histone methyltransferase EZH2, with demethylase inhibition reducing its expression in developing neurons 34. Disease-relevance is emerging: a rare missense variant (A1072V) segregates with familial late-onset Alzheimer's disease, increasing NMDAR-mediated currents and surface expression 5. GluN2C variants appear less pathogenic than GluN2A/2B truncations in neurodevelopmental disorders 6, though frameshift mutations associate with schizophrenia susceptibility 7. Mendelian randomization studies identify increased GluN2C expression as a risk factor for depression 8, suggesting therapeutic targeting potential for mood disorders.

Sources cited
1
GRIN2C is a component of heterotetrameric NMDA receptors with high calcium permeability and voltage-dependent Mg2+ block; channel activation requires L-glutamate and glycine/D-serine binding
PMID: 26875626
2
Confirms GRIN2C role in NMDA receptor function with L-glutamate, glycine/D-serine binding requirements and Mg2+ voltage-dependence
PMID: 36309015
3
A rare GRIN2C missense variant (A1072V) associates with familial late-onset Alzheimer's disease, increasing NMDAR currents and surface expression
PMID: 39810256
4
GRIN2C expression is regulated by TSPYL2 interaction with EZH2; H3K27 methylation controls Grin2c expression in neurons
PMID: 30051352
5
Kdm6b regulates mature neuronal gene expression including Grin2c, with BDNF enhancing its induction in cerebellar granule neurons
PMID: 29254825
6
GRIN2C protein truncating variants are non-pathogenic when heterozygous, in contrast to GRIN2A and GRIN2B which cause NMDAR haploinsufficiency
PMID: 33043365
7
A frameshift mutation in GRIN2C identified in schizophrenia screening suggests ultra-rare loss-of-function variants may contribute to schizophrenia risk
PMID: 29317596
8
Mendelian randomization analysis identifies GRIN2C expression as a risk factor associated with increased depression risk
PMID: 38326723
9
GRIN2C mRNA is downregulated by marinobufagenin treatment in brain endothelial cells, with effects on calcium transport
PMID: 24717675
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.61Moderate
Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.60Moderate
influenzaOpen Targets
0.60Moderate
infectionOpen Targets
0.59Moderate
alcohol dependenceOpen Targets
0.59Moderate
major depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.58Moderate
dementiaOpen Targets
0.58Moderate
cerebral atherosclerosisOpen Targets
0.56Moderate
postencephalitic Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.56Moderate
secondary Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.56Moderate
epilepsyOpen Targets
0.53Moderate
PainOpen Targets
0.53Moderate
depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.53Moderate
TinnitusOpen Targets
0.40Moderate
schizophreniaOpen Targets
0.39Weak
cancerOpen Targets
0.38Weak
multiple sclerosisOpen Targets
0.38Weak
bipolar disorderOpen Targets
0.38Weak
treatment resistant depressionOpen Targets
0.38Weak
neuropathic painOpen Targets
0.38Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Drug Targets28
ACAMPROSATEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
alcohol dependence
ACAMPROSATE CALCIUMApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
alcohol dependence
AMANTADINEApproved
Matrix protein 2 inhibitor
influenza
AMANTADINE HYDROCHLORIDEApproved
Matrix protein 2 inhibitor
influenza
APIMOSTINELPhase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor partial agonist
major depressive disorder
AV-101Phase III
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
pulmonary arterial hypertension
AZD8108Phase I
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
CNS-5161Phase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor blocker
neuropathic pain
DELUCEMINEPhase I
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
depressive disorder
ESKETAMINEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor negative allosteric modulator
major depressive disorder
ESKETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor negative allosteric modulator
major depressive disorder
FELBAMATEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
epilepsy
GW468816Phase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
nicotine dependence
INDANTADOLPhase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
neuropathic pain
KETAMINEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor negative allosteric modulator
KETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDEPhase III
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor negative allosteric modulator
cancer
LANICEMINEPhase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor blocker
major depressive disorder
MEMANTINEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor negative allosteric modulator
Alzheimer disease
MEMANTINE HYDROCHLORIDEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor negative allosteric modulator
Alzheimer disease
NEBOGLAMINEPhase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor positive allosteric modulator
cocaine dependence
NERAMEXANEPhase III
Neuronal acetylcholine receptor; alpha9/alpha10 antagonist
Alzheimer disease
NERAMEXANE MESYLATEPhase III
Neuronal acetylcholine receptor; alpha9/alpha10 antagonist
Tinnitus
ORPHENADRINEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
Parkinson disease
ORPHENADRINE CITRATEApproved
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
Pain
ORPHENADRINE HYDROCHLORIDEApproved
Histamine H1 receptor antagonist
Parkinson disease
PERZINFOTELPhase II
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
diabetic neuropathy
RALFINAMIDEPhase III
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor antagonist
neuropathic pain
RAPASTINELPhase III
Glutamate [NMDA] receptor partial agonist
major depressive disorder
Related Genes
DLG4Protein interaction100%P2RX3Protein interaction99%P2RX1Protein interaction98%P2RX4Protein interaction98%P2RX6Protein interaction97%P2RX7Protein interaction95%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Brain
37%
Heart
8%
Ovary
4%
Liver
3%
Lung
2%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
GRIN2CDLG4P2RX3P2RX1P2RX4P2RX6P2RX7
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8E93 · 3.71 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.16LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.94 [0.76–1.16]
RankingsWhere GRIN2C stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #5,187of 20,598
    Most Researched92
  • #123of 1,025
    FDA-Approved Drug Targets13 · top quartile
  • #12,153of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.16
Genes detectedGRIN2C
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Exome sequencing reveals a rare damaging variant in GRIN2C in familial late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
PMID: 39810256
Alzheimers Res Ther · 2025
1.00
2
Localization of the human NMDAR2D receptor subunit gene (GRIN2D) to 19q13.1-qter, the NMDAR2A subunit gene to 16p13.2 (GRIN2A), and the NMDAR2C subunit gene (GRIN2C) to 17q24-q25 using somatic cell hybrid and radiation hybrid mapping panels.
PMID: 9480759
Genomics · 1998
0.90
3
Marinobufagenin regulates permeability and gene expression of brain endothelial cells.
PMID: 24717675
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol · 2014
0.80
4
From bedside-to-bench: What disease-associated variants are teaching us about the NMDA receptor.
PMID: 32144935
J Physiol · 2021
0.70
5
TSPYL2 Regulates the Expression of EZH2 Target Genes in Neurons.
PMID: 30051352
Mol Neurobiol · 2019
0.60