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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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ORAI3
ORAI calcium release-activated calcium modulator 3
Chromosome 16 · 16p11.2
NCBI Gene: 93129Ensembl: ENSG00000175938.7HGNC: HGNC:28185UniProt: Q9BRQ5
48PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Ion ChannelTransporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
plasma membranestore-operated calcium channel activitystore-operated calcium entryprotein bindingbreast cancerpachyonychia congenitaage-related macular degenerationneoplasm
✦AI Summary

ORAI3 is a pore-forming subunit of calcium-selective channels at the plasma membrane, functioning as a mammalian-specific homolog that evolved from ORAI1 1. It assembles with ORAI1 and ORAI2 to form hexameric store-operated calcium (CRAC) channels that mediate calcium influx upon endoplasmic reticulum depletion, activated by the sensor protein STIM1 2. Notably, ORAI3 and ORAI2 generate oscillatory calcium patterns, contrasting with ORAI1's role in sustained calcium plateaus [UniProt]. ORAI3 uniquely forms arachidonate-regulated calcium (ARC) and leukotriene C4-regulated calcium (LRC) channels with ORAI1, enabling store-independent calcium influx in response to inflammatory metabolites 3. Structurally, ORAI3 adopts a dimer-to-tetramer transition during activation, distinct from ORAI1's tetrameric state 4. Pathologically, ORAI3 is overexpressed in multiple cancers including breast, lung, colorectal, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, where it promotes cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis resistance through calcium signaling 35. ORAI3 also participates in neuro-immune crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment 6 and contributes to vascular smooth muscle remodeling following injury 7. These findings position ORAI3 as a therapeutic target in cancer management.

Sources cited
1
ORAI3 is a mammalian-specific Orai protein that evolved from ORAI1 with marked sequence differences, particularly outside pore-forming domains, exhibiting unique gating and regulatory features
PMID: 22041188
2
ORAI3 participates in store-operated and arachidonic acid-regulated calcium currents; overexpression in cancer cells promotes proliferation, migration, and apoptosis resistance with cell-type-specific relevance
PMID: 34768857
3
ORAI3 forms heteromultimeric channels with ORAI1 for ARC/LRC channels and is upregulated in breast, prostate, lung, and gastrointestinal cancers, representing a therapeutic target
PMID: 32659517
4
ORAI3 functions as an ion channel mediating neuro-immune crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment
PMID: 41033608
5
ORAI3 is upregulated in estrogen receptor-expressing breast cancers and contributes to vascular smooth muscle remodeling and proliferation of effector T-lymphocytes under oxidative stress
PMID: 23695829
6
ORAI2 and ORAI3 are less characterized homologs whose physiological functions may include store-dependent and -independent calcium regulation distinct from STIM1/ORAI1 complexes
PMID: 23890118
7
ORAI3 undergoes dimer-to-tetramer transition during store-operated activation and forms dimeric nonselective cation pores under STIM1-independent activation
PMID: 21987805
Disease Associationsⓘ20
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
pachyonychia congenitaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
age-related macular degenerationOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
oral squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
rheumatoid arthritisOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
X-linked retinal dysplasiaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
choroidal dystrophy, central areolar, 1Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
Familial exudative vitreoretinopathyOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
severe early-childhood-onset retinal dystrophyOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Stargardt diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
reticular dystrophy of the retinal pigment epitheliumOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
triple-negative breast cancerOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
age related macular degeneration 11Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
age related macular degeneration 2Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
age related macular degeneration 4Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
age related macular degeneration 6Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
age related macular degeneration 7Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
prostate cancerOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
STIM1Protein interaction79%TRPC1Protein interaction79%TRPC3Protein interaction79%TRPC4Protein interaction79%TRPC5Protein interaction79%TRPC6Protein interaction79%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Ovary
34%
Lung
28%
Heart
19%
Bone Marrow
10%
Brain
9%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
ORAI3STIM1TRPC1TRPC3TRPC4TRPC5TRPC6
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q9BRQ5
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.57LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF1.03 [0.69–1.57]
RankingsWhere ORAI3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #9,106of 20,598
    Most Researched48
  • #15,542of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.57
Genes detectedORAI3
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Orai3--the 'exceptional' Orai?
PMID: 22041188
J Physiol · 2012
1.00
2
Role of Orai3 in the Pathophysiology of Cancer.
PMID: 34768857
Int J Mol Sci · 2021
0.90
3
Orai3: Oncochannel with therapeutic potential.
PMID: 32659517
Cell Calcium · 2020
0.80
4
The neuro-immune oncology axis.
PMID: 41033608
Cancer Lett · 2025
0.70
5
Emerging roles of Orai3 in pathophysiology.
PMID: 23695829
Channels (Austin) · 2013
0.60