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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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RBP2
retinol binding protein 2
Chromosome 3 · 3q23
NCBI Gene: 5948Ensembl: ENSG00000114113.7HGNC: HGNC:9920UniProt: P50120
30PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Transporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
cytosolnucleusfatty acid transportfatty acid bindingneoplasmnon-small cell lung carcinomagastric cancerhepatocellular carcinoma
✦AI Summary

RBP2 (retinol binding protein 2) is a 16 kDa cytosolic protein primarily localized to absorptive cells of the proximal small intestine that serves dual functions in retinoid and lipid metabolism 1. The protein facilitates uptake of dietary retinoids, retinoid metabolism in enterocytes, and local retinoid actions within the intestine 1. Mechanistically, RBP2 exhibits unexpected versatility by binding long-chain 2-monoacylglycerols (2-MAGs), including the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol, with affinity equivalent to retinol binding 12. Crystallographic studies reveal that 2-MAGs bind to the same site as retinol, making RBP2 a nexus where retinoid and endocannabinoid signaling pathways converge 3. In disease contexts, RBP2 deficiency leads to metabolic dysfunction including obesity, glucose intolerance, and fatty liver when mice are maintained on high-fat diets 1. Additionally, RBP2 functions as a histone demethylase involved in cancer progression, promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in gastric and ovarian cancers through regulation of E-cadherin expression 45. Clinical significance includes its identification as a potential biomarker for ARDS and therapeutic target, with elevated expression correlating with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer patients 65.

Sources cited
1
RBP2 is a 16 kDa cytosolic protein localized to proximal small intestine that facilitates dietary retinoid uptake and binds 2-MAGs with high affinity
PMID: 32466661
2
RBP2 binds monoacylglycerols including 2-arachidonoylglycerol with affinities comparable to retinol and modulates gut hormone signaling
PMID: 32195347
3
RBP2 serves as a nexus where retinoid and endocannabinoid signaling pathways converge through shared binding sites
PMID: 39870440
4
RBP2 functions as histone demethylase promoting gastric cancer metastasis through TGF-β1-Smad3-E-cadherin feedback circuit
PMID: 25974964
5
RBP2 knockdown inhibits ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, with high expression correlating with poor patient prognosis
PMID: 35184457
6
RBP2 emerges as potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ARDS
PMID: 38558817
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.11Weak
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Weak
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
adolescent idiopathic scoliosisOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
chronic myelogenous leukemiaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
renal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
acute lymphoblastic leukemiaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Mobius syndromeOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Abruptio PlacentaeOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Crohn's diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
neuroendocrine neoplasmOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
glioblastomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
triple-negative breast cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
astrocytomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
preeclampsiaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Bartsocas-Papas syndrome 1Open Targets
0.03Suggestive
thyroid carcinomaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
breast carcinomaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
RDH11Protein interaction95%RARS1Protein interaction85%CYP26A1Protein interaction81%GOT2Protein interaction74%RARAProtein interaction73%RBP3Protein interaction72%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Lung
100%
Ovary
35%
Liver
10%
Brain
7%
Bone Marrow
3%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
RBP2RDH11RARS1CYP26A1GOT2RARARBP3
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB7UCZ · 1.08 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.41LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.94 [0.64–1.41]
RankingsWhere RBP2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #12,018of 20,598
    Most Researched30
  • #14,550of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.41
Genes detectedRBP2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
A chromatin-mediated reversible drug-tolerant state in cancer cell subpopulations.
PMID: 20371346
Cell · 2010
1.00
2
Retinol-binding protein 2 (RBP2): biology and pathobiology.
PMID: 32466661
Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol · 2020
0.90
3
Reaffirmation of Mechanistic Proteomic Signatures Accompanying SGLT2 Inhibition in Patients With Heart Failure: A Validation Cohort of the EMPEROR Program.
PMID: 39217550
J Am Coll Cardiol · 2024
0.80
4
[Effect of RBP2 gene silencing on proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian epithelial cancer SKOV3/DDP cells and its mechanism].
PMID: 35184457
Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi · 2022
0.70
5
ARDS and aging: TYMS emerges as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target.
PMID: 38558817
Front Immunol · 2024
0.60