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25 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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VDAC2
voltage dependent anion channel 2
Chromosome 10 · 10q22.2
NCBI Gene: 7417Ensembl: ENSG00000165637.15HGNC: HGNC:12672UniProt: A0A024QZT0
278PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Highly ConstrainedTransporter
RESEARCH IMPACT
Trending
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
membranemitochondrial nucleoidmitochondrionmitochondrial membraneneurodegenerative diseasealcohol drinkingsevere combined immunodeficiencysmoking initiation
✦AI Summary

VDAC2 is a voltage-dependent anion channel localized to the mitochondrial outer membrane that functions as a critical metabolic and immune checkpoint. Beyond its classical ion transport role, VDAC2 catalyzes phospholipid scrambling across the outer mitochondrial membrane 1. VDAC2 regulates mitochondrial permeability and function through multiple mechanisms: it forms oligomeric pores mediating mitochondrial DNA release 2, participates in mitochondria-ER contact sites controlling calcium and ROS homeostasis 3, and facilitates mitophagy by recruiting PRKN to damaged mitochondria 4. Post-translational modifications of VDAC2, including lysine malonylation, alter channel structure and promote ferroptotic pathways 5. In cancer, VDAC2 emerges as a dual-action immunotherapeutic target: its loss unleashes BAK-dependent mitochondrial damage and cGAS-STING activation, sensitizing tumors to CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity 1. Conversely, VDAC2 degradation by ubiquitination protects melanoma cells from ferroptosis 6 and suppresses radiation-induced antitumor immunity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma 2. VDAC2 also integrates with the mitochondrial protein import machinery at TOM complexes, facilitating PINK1 stabilization in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis 7.

Sources cited
1
VDAC2 is an immune checkpoint that suppresses IFNγ-mediated tumor destruction; VDAC2 deficiency unleashes BAK activation, mitochondrial DNA release, and cGAS-STING signaling
PMID: 40108474
2
Nedd4-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of VDAC2/3 suppresses ferroptosis in melanoma cells
PMID: 31974380
3
VDAC2 lysine malonylation alters channel structure, promotes ferroptosis, and contributes to sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction
PMID: 37416771
4
VDAC2 forms arrays with TOM complexes at the mitochondrial outer membrane where PINK1 is stabilized
PMID: 40080546
5
TRIM21-mediated K48-linked ubiquitination of VDAC2 inhibits mtDNA release and suppresses radiation-induced antitumor immunity
PMID: 36797289
6
STING binds to mitochondrial VDAC2 and regulates ROS/calcium homeostasis and MERC formation independent of innate immunity
PMID: 36445063
7
VDAC2 interacts with TMX2 to facilitate mitophagy by recruiting PRKN to defective mitochondria
PMID: 38797513
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.35Weak
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.21Weak
severe combined immunodeficiencyOpen Targets
0.12Weak
smoking initiationOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
renal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
SepsisOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
atrial fibrillationOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
major depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
peripheral arterial diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
melanomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
gliomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
nasopharyngeal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
insomniaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
systemic sclerodermaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
glioblastoma multiformeOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
TOMM70Protein interaction100%TOMM20Protein interaction100%TOMM40Protein interaction100%NDUFV2Protein interaction100%TOMM40LProtein interaction99%CYCSProtein interaction98%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Heart
80%
Lung
55%
Ovary
51%
Liver
32%
Bone Marrow
24%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
VDAC2TOMM70TOMM20TOMM40NDUFV2TOMM40LCYCS
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB9EII · 2.75 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.27Highly Constrained
pLIⓘ
1.00Intolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.12 [0.06–0.27]
RankingsWhere VDAC2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #1,308of 20,598
    Most Researched278 · top 10%
  • #941of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.27 · top 10%
Genes detectedVDAC2
Sources retrieved25 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
25▼
1
VDAC2 loss elicits tumour destruction and inflammation for cancer therapy.
PMID: 40108474
Nature · 2025
1.00
2
Nedd4 ubiquitylates VDAC2/3 to suppress erastin-induced ferroptosis in melanoma.
PMID: 31974380
Nat Commun · 2020
0.90
3
VDAC2 malonylation participates in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction via mitochondrial-related ferroptosis.
PMID: 37416771
Int J Biol Sci · 2023
0.80
4
Structure of human PINK1 at a mitochondrial TOM-VDAC array.
PMID: 40080546
Science · 2025
0.70
5
Mitotic ER-mitochondria contact enhances mitochondrial Ca
PMID: 39342616
Cell Rep · 2024
0.68