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GeneE
10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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NMU
neuromedin U
Chromosome 4 · 4q12
NCBI Gene: 10874Ensembl: ENSG00000109255.11HGNC: HGNC:7859UniProt: A0A0B4J202
62PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingtype 1 neuromedin U receptor bindingtype 2 neuromedin U receptor bindingneuropeptide signaling pathwayhypertensionpathological myopiamyocardial infarctioncoronary artery disease
✦AI Summary

Neuromedin U (NMU) is a neuropeptide that functions as a signaling molecule integrating neuronal and immune regulation at mucosal barrier surfaces. Rather than directly binding NMUR1 or NMUR2 receptors as a classical ligand, NMU operates through NMUR1-expressing group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) to promote type 2 immune responses 1. NMU stimulates ILC2-derived amphiregulin (AREG) production and induces IL-5 production through calcium-NFAT and MAPK signaling pathways 23. NMU expression increases in inflamed intestinal tissues and operates as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism linking neuroimmune regulation to tissue protection during parasite infection and inflammation 14. In airway diseases, NMU promotes type 2 cytokine production and contributes to ILC2-mediated airway inflammation characteristic of allergic diseases and asthma 3. Recent evidence suggests NMU may have broader pathophysiological relevance: machine learning analysis identified NMU as a potential prognostic biomarker for COPD-associated lung cancer, with high expression correlating with poor survival outcomes and immune cell infiltration 5. NMU was also identified as an upregulated hub-gene in colorectal cancer progression networks 6. The existence of NMU-related peptides (NURP, NSRP) activating unknown receptors suggests additional undiscovered signaling mechanisms 7.

Sources cited
1
NMU is a cholinergic neuropeptide that promotes ILC2 responses via NMUR1; NMU expression increases in inflamed intestinal tissues and induces AREG production in ILC2s
PMID: 36323781
2
NMU is a neuropeptide regulator of ILC2s that activates Ca2+-NFAT and MAPK signaling pathways
PMID: 30294963
3
NMU promotes IL-4 and IL-5 production in ILC2s through NFAT pathway activation and contributes to type 2 airway inflammation
PMID: 31082387
4
NMU in concert with IL-33 supports IL-5 production and constrains IL-13 expression in ILC2s during type 2 immune responses
PMID: 31353223
5
NMU is identified as a potential prognostic biomarker for COPD-associated lung cancer with high expression correlating with poor survival outcomes
PMID: 40394719
6
NMU is identified as an upregulated hub-gene in colorectal cancer progression networks
PMID: 35490318
7
NMU-related peptides (NURP, NSRP) exert biological effects without acting via NMUR1 or NMUR2, suggesting additional unrecognized receptors
PMID: 34276571
Disease Associationsⓘ20
hypertensionOpen Targets
0.30Weak
pathological myopiaOpen Targets
0.27Weak
myocardial infarctionOpen Targets
0.23Weak
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.15Weak
carpal tunnel syndromeOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
papillary thyroid carcinomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiencyOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hypoinsulinemic hypoglycemia and body hemihypertrophyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
CIDEC-related familial partial lipodystrophyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
obesity due to pro-opiomelanocortin deficiencyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
lipodystrophy, congenital generalized, type 5Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
PLIN1-related familial partial lipodystrophyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
LIPE-related familial partial lipodystrophyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
obesity due to prohormone convertase I deficiencyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
hyperinsulinism due to HNF1A deficiencyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
glycogen storage disease VIOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
GHRLProtein interaction100%NTSR2Protein interaction100%NMUR2Protein interaction100%GNB1Protein interaction91%GHSRProtein interaction87%MLNProtein interaction87%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Brain
79%
Lung
1%
Liver
0%
Ovary
0%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
NMUGHRLNTSR2NMUR2GNB1GHSRMLN
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB7W55 · 2.80 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.28LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.10Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.56 [0.28–1.28]
RankingsWhere NMU stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #7,485of 20,598
    Most Researched62
  • #13,518of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.28
Genes detectedNMU
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Neuropeptide regulation of non-redundant ILC2 responses at barrier surfaces.
PMID: 36323781
Nature · 2022
1.00
2
The potential for misuse and abuse of medications in ADHD: a review.
PMID: 25295651
Postgrad Med · 2014
0.90
3
Neuropeptide CGRP Limits Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell Responses and Constrains Type 2 Inflammation.
PMID: 31353223
Immunity · 2019
0.80
4
The group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) regulatory network and its underlying mechanisms.
PMID: 30294963
Immunol Rev · 2018
0.70
5
Talaromycosis.
PMID: 33789014
N Engl J Med · 2021
0.60