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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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HMGN2
high mobility group nucleosomal binding domain 2
Chromosome 1 · 1p36.11
NCBI Gene: 3151Ensembl: ENSG00000198830.14HGNC: HGNC:4986UniProt: P05204
126PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
GO:0005615nucleoplasmprotein bindingcytoplasmneurodegenerative diseasebreast cancerneoplasmglioma
✦AI Summary

HMGN2 is a nucleosome-binding protein that alters chr1 structure and has emerged as a multifunctional regulator with both transcriptional and immunological roles. Mechanistically, HMGN2 binds to nucleosomal DNA and competes with histone H1, promoting DNase I-hypersensitive chr1 domains at transcriptional regulatory elements including promoters and enhancers 1. HMGN2 is not required for transcription-coupled DNA repair in human cells 2. Beyond transcriptional regulation, HMGN2 functions as an antimicrobial peptide present in immune cells 3 and exhibits potent antiviral activity, significantly inhibiting hepatitis B virus expression and replication 4. In cancer biology, HMGN2 demonstrates antitumor activity in osteosarcoma by suppressing cell proliferation and migration while sensitizing cells to chemotherapy 5. Notably, HMGN2 serves as a novel immunological target, as its upregulation in engineered CAR T cells enhanced anti-tumor efficacy in neuroblastoma models 6. Recombinant HMGN2-expressing T cells showed increased cytokine secretion (IL-2, TNF-α) and cytotoxic activity against tumor cells 7. These findings suggest HMGN2 functions as a chr1 modifier supporting enhancer accessibility while simultaneously acting as an immune effector molecule with therapeutic potential in cancer and viral diseases.

Sources cited
1
HMGN1 and HMGN2 are not required for human transcription-coupled DNA repair
PMID: 32152397
2
HMGN2 is upregulated in potent GPC2-targeting CAR T cells with enhanced anti-neuroblastoma activity
PMID: 36631162
3
HMGN2 overexpression inhibits osteosarcoma cell growth, migration, and increases chemotherapy sensitivity
PMID: 25530340
4
HMGN1 and HMGN2 establish DNase I-hypersensitive chromatin domains at promoters and enhancers by competing with histone H1
PMID: 26709929
5
HMGN2 protein significantly inhibits hepatitis B virus expression and replication in vitro
PMID: 19150374
6
HMGN2-expressing T cells increase cytokine secretion and enhance tumor cell killing
PMID: 35861945
7
HMGN2 is an antimicrobial peptide present in immune cells with antimicrobial activity and innate immune function
PMID: 20842856
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.54Moderate
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
gliomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
osteosarcomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
metabolic diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
coronary atherosclerosisOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
glioblastoma multiformeOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hyperlipidemiaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
systemic lupus erythematosusOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Abnormality of the skeletal systemOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
infectionOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
ulcerative colitisOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
oral squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
esophageal squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
upper respiratory tract disorderOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
allergic rhinitisOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
RPS23Protein interaction100%RPL38Protein interaction100%FAUProtein interaction100%RPLP0Protein interaction100%RPS3AProtein interaction100%RPS3Protein interaction100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Bone Marrow
58%
Ovary
53%
Lung
41%
Liver
25%
Heart
8%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
HMGN2RPS23RPL38FAURPLP0RPS3ARPS3
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt P05204
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.89LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.58Intermediate
Observed/Expected LoF0.28 [0.11–0.89]
RankingsWhere HMGN2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #3,724of 20,598
    Most Researched126 · top quartile
  • #7,908of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.89
Genes detectedHMGN2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Human HMGN1 and HMGN2 are not required for transcription-coupled DNA repair.
PMID: 32152397
Sci Rep · 2020
1.00
2
Preclinical optimization of a GPC2-targeting CAR T-cell therapy for neuroblastoma.
PMID: 36631162
J Immunother Cancer · 2023
0.90
3
Nucleosome-binding protein HMGN2 exhibits antitumor activity in human SaO2 and U2-OS osteosarcoma cell lines.
PMID: 25530340
Oncol Rep · 2015
0.80
4
HMGNs: The enhancer charmers.
PMID: 26709929
Bioessays · 2016
0.70
5
Inhibitory effect of HMGN2 protein on human hepatitis B virus expression and replication in the HepG2.2.15 cell line.
PMID: 19150374
Antiviral Res · 2009
0.60