HomeAboutRankingsData Sources
© 2026 GeneE
🧬
GeneE
10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
ⓘGeneE is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
XKR8
XK related 8
Chromosome 1 · 1p35.3
NCBI Gene: 55113Ensembl: ENSG00000158156.9HGNC: HGNC:25508UniProt: A0A6Q8PH47
16PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
phospholipid scramblase activitypositive regulation of myoblast differentiationplasma membranephosphatidylserine exposure on apoptotic cell surfaceMoyamoya diseaseneoplasmazoospermiapartial chromosome Y deletion
✦AI Summary

XKR8 is a phospholipid scramblase that catalyzes the externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) on cell membranes through caspase-dependent proteolytic activation 1. During apoptosis, caspase-3 cleaves XKR8 to activate its scramblase activity, enabling irreversible PS exposure on the cell surface as an 'eat me' signal for macrophage-mediated efferocytosis 1. XKR8 functions as a heterocomplex with basigin or neuroplastin chaperone proteins, which facilitate its trafficking to the plasma membrane 2. Beyond apoptosis, XKR8 promotes myoblast differentiation and survival, with overexpression accelerating terminal differentiation and conferring cell-death resistance 3. In the tumor microenvironment, XKR8-mediated PS externalization on apoptotic tumor cells suppresses anti-tumor immunity through PS-receptor interactions with tumor-associated macrophages, promoting immune evasion 4. XKR8 is also incorporated into viral particles, where its scramblase activity promotes PS externalization required for Ebola virus uptake by host cells 5. XKR8 activation can be enhanced by phosphorylation and counteracted by flippase activity 6, revealing sophisticated regulation of PS asymmetry. Blocking XKR8 function represents a potential immunotherapeutic strategy to enhance anti-tumor immunity 7.

Sources cited
1
During apoptosis, caspase-3 cleaves XKR8 to activate its phospholipid scramblase activity, enabling PS externalization as an 'eat me' signal for macrophage recognition
PMID: 32853880
2
XKR8 forms a functional complex with basigin (BSG) or neuroplastin (NPTN) that serves as chaperones to localize XKR8 to the plasma membrane for scrambling activity
PMID: 27503893
3
XKR8 overexpression promotes myoblast differentiation and confers cell-death resistance, indicating roles in myogenesis beyond apoptosis signaling
PMID: 28881496
4
XKR8-mediated PS externalization on apoptotic tumor cells suppresses anti-tumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment through immune evasion mechanisms
PMID: 41198619
5
XKR8 scramblase activity is required for Ebola virus infection, promoting PS externalization on viral particles necessary for host cell uptake
PMID: 36285664
6
XKR8 activation is regulated by phosphorylation and counteracted by flippase activity, controlling PS exposure intensity
PMID: 30718401
7
Blocking XKR8-mediated PS externalization enhances anti-tumor immunity and represents a potential immunotherapeutic strategy against cancer
PMID: 41123345
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Moyamoya diseaseOpen Targets
0.30Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.10Weak
azoospermiaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
partial chromosome Y deletionOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 25Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spinocerebellar ataxia type 32Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 57Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 50Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
isochromosomy YpOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 71Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 63Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
congenital bilateral absence of vas deferensOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure, X-linked, 2Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
partial androgen insensitivity syndromeOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
isochromosomy YqOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
46,XX testicular disorder of sex developmentOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Isolated follicle stimulating hormone deficiencyOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
46,XY disorder of sex development due to 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 deficiencyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
male infertility with azoospermia or oligozoospermia due to single gene mutationOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 96Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
BSGProtein interaction95%ATP11CProtein interaction83%ANO6Protein interaction80%XKR7Shared pathway60%XKR6Shared pathway60%XKR4Shared pathway60%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Bone Marrow
74%
Lung
52%
Heart
40%
Ovary
34%
Brain
12%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
XKR8BSGATP11CANO6XKR7XKR6XKR4
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8XEJ · 3.66 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.43LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.85 [0.52–1.43]
RankingsWhere XKR8 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #15,444of 20,598
    Most Researched16
  • #14,744of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.43
Genes detectedXKR8
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Xk-related protein 8 regulates myoblast differentiation and survival.
PMID: 28881496
FEBS J · 2017
1.00
2
Phospholipid scramblases TMEM16F and Xkr8 mediate distinct features of phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization and immune suppression to promote tumor growth.
PMID: 41198619
Cell Death Discov · 2025
0.90
3
Scramblases and virus infection.
PMID: 36285664
Bioessays · 2022
0.80
4
Sensing and clearance of apoptotic cells.
PMID: 32853880
Curr Opin Immunol · 2021
0.70
5
Xkr8 phospholipid scrambling complex in apoptotic phosphatidylserine exposure.
PMID: 27503893
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2016
0.60