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9 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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TAFA2
TAFA chemokine like family member 2
Chromosome 12 · 12q14.1
NCBI Gene: 338811Ensembl: ENSG00000198673.12HGNC: HGNC:21589UniProt: Q8N3H0
22PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
receptor ligand activitynucleuscytoplasmmemoryautoimmune thyroid diseaseAbdominal Aortic AneurysmChest painmusculoskeletal system disease
✦AI Summary

TAFA2 is a neurotrophic factor essential for neuronal survival and cognitive function. Primarily expressed in the central nervous system, TAFA2 functions as a secreted signaling molecule that prevents neuronal apoptosis through multiple mechanisms 1. The protein directly binds to ADGRL1 (adhesion G protein-coupled receptor L1) via its lectin-like domain, activating the cAMP/PKA/CREB/BCL2 anti-apoptotic pathway 1. TAFA2 also promotes neuronal survival through PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling, with downstream effects on CREB target genes including BDNF 2. Beyond neuronal cells, TAFA2 regulates mesenchymal stem cell migration via Rac1-p38 pathway activation, supporting tissue repair processes 3. In disease contexts, TAFA2 deficiency impairs spatial learning, memory, and emotional regulation 2, while dysregulation associates with asthma exacerbation susceptibility 4 and epilepsy pathogenesis 5. Additionally, neuron-derived TAFA2 plays a dual role in liver inflammation by recruiting CCR2+ macrophages during ischemia-reperfusion injury, a mechanism suppressible by sour taste signaling 6. These findings identify TAFA2 as a critical neuroimmune mediator relevant to neurological and inflammatory disorders.

Sources cited
1
TAFA2 binds ADGRL1 and activates cAMP/PKA/CREB/BCL2 anti-apoptotic pathway
PMID: 37944639
2
TAFA2 is essential for neuronal survival via PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk pathways; deficiency causes memory impairment and neuronal reduction
PMID: 30137205
3
TAFA2 enhances mesenchymal stem cell migration through Rac1-p38 pathway activation and supports fracture healing
PMID: 30485583
4
TAFA2 is associated with asthma exacerbation frequency in non-smoking patients
PMID: 35606283
5
TAFA2 is a candidate gene for epilepsy pathogenesis
PMID: 33484953
6
Neuron-derived TAFA2 interacts with CCR2 to recruit macrophages and trigger liver injury; sour stimuli reduce TAFA2 production
PMID: 40058705
Disease Associationsⓘ20
autoimmune thyroid diseaseOpen Targets
0.36Weak
Abdominal Aortic AneurysmOpen Targets
0.32Weak
Chest painOpen Targets
0.30Weak
musculoskeletal system diseaseOpen Targets
0.30Weak
preeclampsiaOpen Targets
0.30Weak
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.29Weak
diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.28Weak
diverticular diseaseOpen Targets
0.28Weak
heart diseaseOpen Targets
0.27Weak
KeloidOpen Targets
0.27Weak
polyarteritis nodosaOpen Targets
0.27Weak
ovarian neoplasmOpen Targets
0.25Weak
exostosisOpen Targets
0.25Weak
Abnormality of the integumentOpen Targets
0.24Weak
respiratory tract infectious disorderOpen Targets
0.24Weak
ocular hypotensionOpen Targets
0.24Weak
diabetic eye diseaseOpen Targets
0.23Weak
lagophthalmosOpen Targets
0.23Weak
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.23Weak
artificial cardiac pacemakerOpen Targets
0.21Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
NETO1Shared pathway40%FOXO6Shared pathway33%SHISA7Shared pathway20%ATXN1LShared pathway20%CICShared pathway20%ATAD1Shared pathway17%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Bone Marrow
67%
Ovary
14%
Lung
2%
Liver
2%
Heart
2%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TAFA2NETO1FOXO6SHISA7ATXN1LCICATAD1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q8N3H0
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.82LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.29Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.42 [0.23–0.82]
RankingsWhere TAFA2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #13,762of 20,598
    Most Researched22
  • #6,988of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.82
Genes detectedTAFA2
Sources retrieved9 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
9▼
1
Sour neuronal signalling attenuates macrophage-mediated liver injury.
PMID: 40058705
J Hepatol · 2025
1.00
2
TAFA2 Induces Skeletal (Stromal) Stem Cell Migration Through Activation of Rac1-p38 Signaling.
PMID: 30485583
Stem Cells · 2019
0.89
3
A genome-wide association study on frequent exacerbation of asthma depending on smoking status.
PMID: 35606283
Respir Med · 2022
0.78
4
The high frequency of chromosomal copy number variations and candidate genes in epilepsy patients.
PMID: 33484953
Clin Neurol Neurosurg · 2021
0.67
5
Molecular analysis of a constitutional complex genome rearrangement with 11 breakpoints involving chromosomes 3, 11, 12, and 21 and a approximately 0.5-Mb submicroscopic deletion in a patient with mild mental retardation.
PMID: 16160854
Hum Genet · 2005
0.56