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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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METRN
meteorin, glial cell differentiation regulator
Chromosome 16 · 16p13.3
NCBI Gene: 79006Ensembl: ENSG00000103260.10HGNC: HGNC:14151UniProt: Q9UJH8
16PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
positive regulation of axonogenesisglial cell differentiationhormone activityGO:0005615neurodegenerative diseaseurethral syndromeatrial fibrillationneoplasm
✦AI Summary

METRN (meteorin) is a secreted protein with dual roles in neural development and metabolic homeostasis. In the central nervous system, METRN promotes glial cell differentiation and axonal extension 1, functioning as a neurotrophic factor with angiogenic properties 2. Beyond its classical neurological functions, METRN acts as a circulating factor with broader physiological roles. As an adipokine, it promotes white adipose tissue browning and improves insulin sensitivity through AMPK and PPAR-δ signaling 3. METRN also functions as a cardiokine protecting against cardiac dysfunction 4. Pathologically, hepatocyte-derived METRN activates hepatic stellate cells via c-Kit-STAT3 signaling to promote MASH-associated liver fibrosis 5. In cancer, METRN overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer 6 and associates with immune infiltration changes across multiple tumor types 1. In glioblastoma, radiation-induced exosomal circ-METRN enhances radioresistance through miR-4709-3p/GRB14/PDGFRα signaling 7. Clinically, reduced first-trimester serum METRN predicts preeclampsia risk 2, and circulating METRN levels serve as biomarkers for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases 4. These findings establish METRN as a multifunctional secreted factor with therapeutic potential across metabolic, cardiovascular, and oncological diseases.

Sources cited
1
Hepatocyte caspase-8 induces secretory meteorin, which activates hepatic stellate cells via c-Kit-STAT3 pathway to promote MASH fibrosis
PMID: 41006904
2
METRN functions as adipokine, cardiokine, and endothelium-derived factor; circulating METRN levels correlate with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases
PMID: 39401532
3
METRN is predominantly expressed in CNS where it regulates glial cell differentiation and promotes axonal elongation; abnormally expressed in various cancers with prognostic value and immune infiltration associations
PMID: 39296047
4
METRN is a neurotrophic factor with angiogenic properties; reduced first-trimester serum METRN levels predict preeclampsia risk
PMID: 26121675
5
Subfatin (METRN homolog) promotes white adipose tissue browning and improves insulin sensitivity through AMPK and PPAR-δ signaling
PMID: 34565078
6
METRN overexpression in colorectal cancer associates with poor prognosis and reduced overall, disease-free, and disease-specific survival rates
PMID: 31859449
7
Radiation-induced exosomal circ-METRN enhances glioblastoma progression and radioresistance via miR-4709-3p/GRB14/PDGFRα pathway; serum exosomal circ-METRN predicts radioresistance
PMID: 33867829
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.20Weak
urethral syndromeOpen Targets
0.20Weak
atrial fibrillationOpen Targets
0.11Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
ankylosing spondylitisOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
glioblastomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
bone fractureOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
heart failureOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
hereditary neutrophiliaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Felty's syndromeOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
hemoglobin H diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
immunodeficiency 75Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
dominant beta-thalassemiaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Hemoglobin C - beta-thalassemiaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
hemoglobin C-beta-thalassemia syndromeOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
acute erythroleukemiaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
erythroleukemia, familial, susceptibility toOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
glycoprotein storage diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
FNDC5Protein interaction70%CHODLShared pathway33%TIAM2Shared pathway20%SHOX2Shared pathway14%MAP6Shared pathway14%SLITRK1Shared pathway13%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Brain
87%
Heart
69%
Lung
36%
Ovary
18%
Bone Marrow
10%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
METRNFNDC5CHODLTIAM2SHOX2MAP6SLITRK1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q9UJH8
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.98LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF2.19 [1.31–1.98]
RankingsWhere METRN stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #15,309of 20,598
    Most Researched16
  • #17,820of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.98
Genes detectedMETRN
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
A non-apoptotic caspase-8-meteorin pathway in hepatocytes promotes MASH fibrosis.
PMID: 41006904
Nat Metab · 2025
1.00
2
Metrnl as a secreted protein: Discovery and cardiovascular research.
PMID: 39401532
Pharmacol Ther · 2024
0.90
3
A pan-cancer analysis of the association of METRN with prognosis and immune infiltration in human tumors.
PMID: 39296047
Heliyon · 2024
0.80
4
Maternal Serum Meteorin Levels and the Risk of Preeclampsia.
PMID: 26121675
PLoS One · 2015
0.70
5
Metrnl: a secreted protein with new emerging functions.
PMID: 27063217
Acta Pharmacol Sin · 2016
0.60