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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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MUC3A
mucin 3A, cell surface associated
Chromosome 7 · 7q22.1
NCBI Gene: 4584Ensembl: ENSG00000169894.19HGNC: HGNC:7513UniProt: Q02505
28PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingextracellular matrix constituent, lubricant activityextracellular regionGolgi lumenneurodegenerative diseasehair colorhemorrhoidnon-small cell lung carcinoma
✦AI Summary

MUC3A is a membrane-bound mucin encoded on chromosome 7 that serves as a major glycoprotein component of mucus gels, providing protective and lubricating barriers at mucosal surfaces 1. The gene contains a 21-residue signal peptide followed by a 233-residue Thr-, Ser-, and Pro-rich nonrepetitive sequence contiguous with a hypervariable domain of tandem repeats 1. MUC3A transcription initiates from multiple sites within a TATA-less promoter containing binding sites for intestinal gene transcription factors 1. Human-specific tandem repeat expansions in MUC3A may contribute to transcriptional variation and potential genetic instability 2. In disease contexts, MUC3A exhibits oncogenic functions across multiple cancer types. In colorectal cancer, MUC3A activates the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to promote cell proliferation, invasion, and chemotherapy resistance 3. In non-small cell lung cancer, MUC3A upregulates PD-L1 expression through EGFR stabilization and PI3K/Akt pathway activation, promoting immune escape and reducing tyrosine kinase inhibitor sensitivity 4, while also activating the NFκB pathway to attenuate radiosensitivity 5. Non-synonymous MUC3A SNPs have been associated with Crohn's disease susceptibility 6. MUC3A's high expression in gastric adenocarcinoma makes it a promising immunotherapy target, with potential for CAR T cell-based approaches 78.

Sources cited
1
MUC3A is an intestinal mucin gene at chromosome 7q22 with TATA-less promoter and tandem repeat structure
PMID: 12958310
2
Human-specific tandem repeat expansions affect MUC3A with potential disease-causing variation
PMID: 31659027
3
Non-synonymous SNPs in MUC3A associate with Crohn's disease susceptibility
PMID: 11289722
4
MUC3A induces PD-L1 via EGFR stability and PI3K/Akt pathway, reducing TKI sensitivity in NSCLC
PMID: 33994852
5
MUC3A promotes colorectal cancer progression through PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation
PMID: 35655161
6
MUC3A is highly expressed in gastric adenocarcinoma and proposed as immunotherapy target
PMID: 38069509
7
MUC3A is a potent antigenic target for CAR T cell therapy of gastric adenocarcinoma
PMID: 30260046
8
MUC3A activates NFκB pathway and attenuates radiosensitivity in NSCLC through interaction with RELA
PMID: 34326691
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.29Weak
hair colorOpen Targets
0.18Weak
hemorrhoidOpen Targets
0.18Weak
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
cholangiocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
nonpapillary renal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
glomerulonephritisOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
ovarian neoplasmOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Barrett's esophagusOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
ulcerative colitisOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
esophageal adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
diverticular diseaseOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
emphysemaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
lung adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
colorectal cancerOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
gastric adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
MUC13Protein interaction97%MUC15Protein interaction93%MUC12Protein interaction93%MUC20Protein interaction93%MUC16Protein interaction93%MUC5ACProtein interaction93%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Heart
11%
Lung
3%
Brain
1%
Ovary
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
MUC3AMUC13MUC15MUC12MUC20MUC16MUC5AC
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q02505
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.30LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF1.10 [0.93–1.30]
RankingsWhere MUC3A stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #12,393of 20,598
    Most Researched28
  • #13,698of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.30
Genes detectedMUC3A
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Human-specific tandem repeat expansion and differential gene expression during primate evolution.
PMID: 31659027
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2019
1.00
2
Initiation of transcription of the MUC3A human intestinal mucin from a TATA-less promoter and comparison with the MUC3B amino terminus.
PMID: 12958310
J Biol Chem · 2003
0.90
3
Associations of distinct variants of the intestinal mucin gene MUC3A with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
PMID: 11289722
J Hum Genet · 2001
0.80
4
MUC3A induces PD-L1 and reduces tyrosine kinase inhibitors effects in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.
PMID: 33994852
Int J Biol Sci · 2021
0.70
5
MUC3A promotes the progression of colorectal cancer through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
PMID: 35655161
BMC Cancer · 2022
0.60