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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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RNF181
ring finger protein 181
Chromosome 2 · 2p11.2
NCBI Gene: 51255Ensembl: ENSG00000168894.11HGNC: HGNC:28037UniProt: Q9P0P0
32PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein autoubiquitinationprotein bindingubiquitin protein ligase activityubiquitin-protein transferase activityModerate albuminuriacoronary artery diseasebreast cancertriple-negative breast cancer
✦AI Summary

RNF181 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that catalyzes protein ubiquitination by accepting ubiquitin from E2 conjugating enzymes and transferring it to substrates 1. Beyond its canonical role in proteasomal degradation, including monoubiquitination of proteasome subunit PSMC2/RPT1 2, RNF181 exhibits context-dependent regulatory functions through non-degradative ubiquitination. Mechanistically, RNF181 stabilizes estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) through K63-linked polyubiquitination, enhancing ERα protein levels and target gene expression in breast cancer cells 3. This stabilization function is facilitated by circRNA-SFMBT2, which recruits RNF181 to ERα's AF1 domain 4. Additionally, RNF181 negatively regulates NF-κB signaling by ubiquitinating Bcl10 downstream of CARD11 in lymphocytes, limiting aberrant proliferation in diffuse large B cell lymphoma 5. RNF181 also promotes ubiquitin-mediated degradation of ATG7, suppressing autophagy and enhancing anti-tumor immunity in lung adenocarcinoma 6. Clinically, elevated RNF181 expression correlates with poor prognosis in ER+ breast cancer and is linked to endocrine resistance 34. RNF181 was identified as a potential biomarker for coronary artery disease in cardiac tissue 7. RNF181's activity is modulated by S-nitrosylation, providing post-translational regulation of its ubiquitin ligase function 8.

Sources cited
1
RNF181 functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase transferring ubiquitin from E2 enzymes to substrates
PMID: 18331836
2
RNF181 catalyzes monoubiquitination of 26S proteasome subunit PSMC2/RPT1
PMID: 24811749
3
RNF181 stabilizes ERα through K63-linked polyubiquitination and promotes breast cancer progression
PMID: 32973333
4
CircRNA-SFMBT2 recruits RNF181 to ERα's AF1 domain, regulating K48/K63-linked ubiquitination and enhancing ERα stability in tamoxifen resistance
PMID: 37524698
5
RNF181 negatively regulates CARD11 signaling by ubiquitinating Bcl10 and limiting NF-κB-dependent lymphoma cell proliferation
PMID: 26711259
6
RNF181 promotes ubiquitin-mediated degradation of ATG7, suppressing autophagy and enhancing CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity
PMID: 40975344
7
RNF181 identified as a potential biomarker for coronary artery disease in cardiac tissue
PMID: 35222523
8
RNF181 is among eight E3 ubiquitin ligases whose activities are modulated by S-nitrosylation
PMID: 24105792
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Moderate albuminuriaOpen Targets
0.31Weak
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
triple-negative breast cancerOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
myocardial infarctionOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
congestive heart failureOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
adolescent idiopathic scoliosisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
prostate carcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
lung adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritisOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
infectionOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
pachyonychia congenitaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
cardiotoxicityOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
Huntington diseaseOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
ischemiaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
nasopharyngeal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
RNF141Shared pathway100%RNF208Shared pathway100%UBE2NProtein interaction100%UBA52Protein interaction100%UBBProtein interaction100%UBE2D2Protein interaction100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Lung
83%
Heart
76%
Ovary
56%
Bone Marrow
49%
Brain
46%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
RNF181RNF141RNF208UBE2NUBA52UBBUBE2D2
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q9P0P0
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.46LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF1.05 [0.76–1.46]
RankingsWhere RNF181 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #11,602of 20,598
    Most Researched32
  • #14,942of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.46
Genes detectedRNF181
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
circRNA-SFMBT2 orchestrates ERα activation to drive tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer cells.
PMID: 37524698
Cell Death Dis · 2023
1.00
2
The ubiquitin ligase RNF181 stabilizes ERα and modulates breast cancer progression.
PMID: 32973333
Oncogene · 2020
0.90
3
Weighted Co-Expression Network Analysis Identifies RNF181 as a Causal Gene of Coronary Artery Disease.
PMID: 35222523
Front Genet · 2021
0.80
4
Protein microarray characterization of the S-nitrosoproteome.
PMID: 24105792
Mol Cell Proteomics · 2014
0.70
5
Akkermansia muciniphila-derived outer membrane protein Amuc_1100 promotes acetylation of RING Finger Protein 181 promoter and mediates Autophagy Related 7 ubiquitination to activate CD8
PMID: 40975344
Int J Biol Macromol · 2025
0.60