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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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HCAR3
hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 3
Chromosome 12 · 12q24.31
NCBI Gene: 8843Ensembl: ENSG00000255398.3HGNC: HGNC:16824UniProt: P49019
32PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Receptor
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
G protein-coupled receptor activityprotein bindingadenylate cyclase-inhibiting G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathwaynegative regulation of lipid catabolic processOral ulcermetabolic syndromeacute myeloid leukemiaAbnormality of the skeletal system
✦AI Summary

HCAR3 is a G-protein-coupled receptor that functions as a metabolic sensor crucial for lipid homeostasis and cellular energy regulation 1. The receptor primarily signals through inhibitory Gi/o proteins in response to the endogenous ligand 3-hydroxyoctanoate, a fatty acid β-oxidation intermediate 1. HCAR3 acts as a negative feedback regulator of adipocyte lipolysis, counterbalancing prolipolytic signals during elevated β-oxidation 1. Additionally, HCAR3 functions as a low-affinity nicotinic acid receptor at pharmacologically relevant doses 1. Beyond lipid metabolism, HCAR3 regulates epithelial cell fate decisions, controlling keratinocyte proliferation, migration, and cellular respiration through modulation of mitochondrial morphology and metabolite utilization 2. In innate immune cells, HCAR3 activation promotes anti-inflammatory responses by shifting macrophage metabolism toward reduced glycolytic phenotypes and increasing IL-10 secretion while decreasing IL-1β 3. Disease relevance includes colorectal and breast cancer, where HCAR3 variants have been identified as potential biomarkers 45. HCAR3 also emerges as a target for immunometabolic regulation and potential cancer immunomodulation through kynurenic acid signaling 6. These diverse functions establish HCAR3 as a multifunctional metabolic and immune regulator with significant therapeutic potential across metabolic and oncological diseases.

Sources cited
1
HCAR3 is a Gi/o-coupled GPCR sensor for 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid that regulates lipolysis; also recognizes niacin and other agonists with defined structural mechanisms
PMID: 39427321
2
HCAR3 regulates keratinocyte proliferation, migration, cellular respiration, and mitochondrial morphology through metabolite sensing
PMID: 37398171
3
HCAR3 activation in macrophages promotes anti-inflammatory responses and shifts metabolism toward less glycolytic phenotypes
PMID: 34968686
4
HCAR3 is upregulated in colorectal cancer tissues and identified as a potential therapeutic target through bioinformatics analysis
PMID: 34419055
5
Rare pathogenic variants in HCAR3 are identified in breast cancer cases, suggesting potential cancer risk association
PMID: 34852802
6
HCAR3 may regulate cancer immunometabolism through kynurenic acid signaling, emerging as an immunomodulatory target
PMID: 40650047
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Oral ulcerOpen Targets
0.39Weak
metabolic syndromeOpen Targets
0.37Weak
acute myeloid leukemiaOpen Targets
0.37Weak
Abnormality of the skeletal systemOpen Targets
0.14Weak
physical activityOpen Targets
0.11Weak
high altitude adaptationOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Crohn's diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
ulcerative colitisOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Barrett's esophagusOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
osteoarthritisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
dermatophytosisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
dermatomycosisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
dermatitisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
colorectal adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
ArthropathyOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
HCAR1Shared pathway100%DENRProtein interaction83%HCAR2Protein interaction71%OXER1Shared pathway50%GPR146Shared pathway33%TAAR1Shared pathway25%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Lung
30%
Liver
6%
Brain
2%
Heart
0%
Ovary
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
HCAR3HCAR1DENRHCAR2OXER1GPR146TAAR1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8JEI · 2.73 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.82LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.35Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.00 [0.00–1.82]
RankingsWhere HCAR3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #11,524of 20,598
    Most Researched32
  • #16,686of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.82
Genes detectedHCAR3
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Structural basis for ligand recognition of the human hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor HCAR3.
PMID: 39427321
Cell Rep · 2024
1.00
2
A GPCR screening in human keratinocytes identifies that the metabolite receptor HCAR3 controls epithelial proliferation, migration, and cellular respiration.
PMID: 37398171
bioRxiv · 2023
0.90
3
HCAR3 and Kynurenic Acid in Cancer: A Promising Axis of Immunometabolic Regulation or a Scientific Mirage?
PMID: 40650047
Int J Mol Sci · 2025
0.80
4
Identification and verification of HCAR3 and INSL5 as new potential therapeutic targets of colorectal cancer.
PMID: 34419055
World J Surg Oncol · 2021
0.70
5
Rare and potentially pathogenic variants in hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor genes identified in breast cancer cases.
PMID: 34852802
BMC Med Genomics · 2021
0.60