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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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OR51E2
olfactory receptor family 51 subfamily E member 2
Chromosome 11 · 11p15.4
NCBI Gene: 81285Ensembl: ENSG00000167332.9HGNC: HGNC:15195UniProt: A0A126GVK0
31PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Receptor
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
nuclear steroid receptor activityolfactory receptor activityadenylate cyclase-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathwaycell migrationneurodegenerative diseaseovarian neoplasmpoisoningprostate cancer
✦AI Summary

OR51E2 is an olfactory receptor that functions as a G protein-coupled receptor with diverse physiological roles beyond olfaction 1. The receptor is activated by multiple ligands including short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate), β-ionone (a terpenoid), and palmitic acid 234. Mechanistically, OR51E2 activation leads to G protein signaling, elevated intracellular calcium and cAMP levels, and activation of protein kinases PKA and MAPK 2. Structural studies reveal that ligands bind within an occluded pocket, with propionate-induced conformational changes in extracellular loop 3 driving receptor activation 2. OR51E2 demonstrates significant disease relevance in cancer biology, where it functions as a tumor suppressor in colorectal and prostate cancers 35. In colorectal cancer, OR51E2 expression is reduced due to m6A modification affecting mRNA stability, and β-ionone treatment suppresses tumor growth by inhibiting MEK/ERK signaling 3. In prostate cancer, reduced OR51E2 expression correlates with worse patient prognosis and increased cancer aggressiveness through STAT3 pathway modulation 5. Additionally, OR51E2 is expressed in tumor-associated macrophages where palmitic acid binding enhances their protumor phenotype 4. The receptor also functions in gastrointestinal enterochromaffin cells, responding to bacterial metabolites 6.

Sources cited
1
OR51E2 is an olfactory receptor belonging to class A GPCRs with extranasal tissue expression
PMID: 38296675
2
OR51E2 is activated by propionate and other fatty acids through binding in an occluded pocket, leading to G protein signaling and calcium elevation
PMID: 36922591
3
OR51E2 functions as tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer, with expression reduced by m6A modification; β-ionone activation suppresses tumor growth
PMID: 40088737
4
OR51E2 acts as tumor suppressor in prostate cancer, with reduced expression correlating with worse prognosis and modulating STAT3 pathway
PMID: 40128715
5
OR51E2 in tumor-associated macrophages binds palmitic acid and enhances protumor phenotype
PMID: 40588561
6
OR51E2 is expressed in human gastrointestinal enterochromaffin cells and responds to bacterial metabolites
PMID: 40812684
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.26Weak
ovarian neoplasmOpen Targets
0.17Weak
poisoningOpen Targets
0.13Weak
prostate cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
hypertensionOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
posterior cortical atrophyOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
essential hypertensionOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
breast carcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
prostate intraepithelial neoplasiaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
butyrylcholinesterase deficiencyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
colorectal cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
inherited hemoglobinopathyOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromeOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
melanomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
prostate neoplasmOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
benign prostatic hyperplasiaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
prostate adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
AMACRProtein interaction91%ADCY3Protein interaction72%GNALProtein interaction72%OR51A2Shared pathway27%OR51A4Shared pathway27%OR51T1Shared pathway27%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Ovary
100%
Brain
75%
Heart
46%
Lung
14%
Liver
14%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
OR51E2AMACRADCY3GNALOR51A2OR51A4OR51T1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8F76 · 3.10 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.45LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.93 [0.61–1.45]
RankingsWhere OR51E2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #11,764of 20,598
    Most Researched31
  • #14,881of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.45
Genes detectedOR51E2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
The structure and function of olfactory receptors.
PMID: 38296675
Trends Pharmacol Sci · 2024
1.00
2
Structural basis of odorant recognition by a human odorant receptor.
PMID: 36922591
Nature · 2023
0.90
3
Engineered odorant receptors illuminate the basis of odour discrimination.
PMID: 39478229
Nature · 2024
0.80
4
Chemosensor receptors are lipid-detecting regulators of macrophage function in cancer.
PMID: 40588561
Nat Immunol · 2025
0.70
5
β-Ionone suppresses colorectal tumorigenesis by activating OR51E2, a potential tumor suppressor.
PMID: 40088737
Phytomedicine · 2025
0.60