KPNA2: Karyopherin Subunit Alpha 2
Nuclear Transport Receptor and Cancer Biomarker
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | KPNA2 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Karyopherin Subunit Alpha 2 |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 17q24.2 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 3838 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3838 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000182481 |
| UniProt ID | P52292 |
| OMIM ID | 600685 |
| HGNC ID | 6395 |
| Aliases | IPOA1, QIP2, RCH1, SRP1-alpha |
Description
KPNA2 encodes a member of the importin alpha family of proteins, which function as adaptors in nuclear protein import. The protein binds to nuclear localization signals (NLS) on cargo proteins and facilitates their translocation through the nuclear pore complex. KPNA2 is overexpressed in multiple cancers and is associated with poor prognosis, cell proliferation, and metastasis.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | Overexpression of KPNA2 enhances nuclear import of oncogenic transcription factors (e.g., E2F1, c-Myc), promoting cell cycle progression and tumor growth. | NCBI Gene, PubMed |
| Lung Cancer | Elevated KPNA2 levels correlate with increased proliferation and invasion; knockdown reduces tumorigenicity in vitro. | COSMIC, PubMed |
| Prostate Cancer | KPNA2 overexpression is linked to androgen receptor signaling and poor clinical outcomes. | OMIM, PubMed |
| Hepatocellular Carcinoma | Upregulation of KPNA2 promotes nuclear translocation of β-catenin, activating Wnt signaling. | PubMed |
| Ovarian Cancer | High KPNA2 expression is associated with advanced stage and reduced survival. | ClinVar, PubMed |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Testis | 48.2 | High |
| Bone Marrow | 32.1 | High |
| Lymph Node | 28.5 | High |
| Breast | 12.3 | Medium |
| Lung | 9.8 | Medium |
| Liver | 6.4 | Low |
| Brain | 2.1 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HeLa | 35.7 | Cervical cancer cell line; high expression |
| A549 | 28.4 | Lung adenocarcinoma cell line |
| MCF7 | 22.1 | Breast cancer cell line |
| HepG2 | 18.9 | Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line |
| PC3 | 15.6 | Prostate cancer cell line |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.101C>T (p.Thr34Met) | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown functional impact; rare in population |
| c.452A>G (p.Asn151Ser) | Missense | <0.1% | Reported in COSMIC; no known disease association |
| c.784G>A (p.Glu262Lys) | Missense | <0.1% | Found in cancer samples; significance unclear |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
No confirmed loss-of-function mutations reported in KPNA2.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Overexpression in tumors suggests a gain-of-function role in promoting nuclear import of oncoproteins.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No dominant-negative mutations described.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • GO:0006606 – protein import into nucleus | • GO:0008139 – nuclear localization signal binding |
| • GO:0008565 – protein transporter activity | • GO:0005634 – nucleus |
| • GO:0005737 – cytoplasm | • GO:0016032 – viral process |
Pathways
• Nuclear import of NLS-containing proteins (Reactome: R-HSA-168273)
• Transport of mature mRNA derived from an intron-containing transcript (Reactome: R-HSA-159230)
• Cell cycle
• mitotic (Reactome: R-HSA-69278)
Protein Summary
KPNA2 (importin subunit alpha-2) is a 58 kDa protein that functions as an adaptor for nuclear import. It recognizes classical NLS sequences on cargo proteins and binds importin beta for translocation across the nuclear envelope. KPNA2 is overexpressed in various cancers and is considered a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KPNA2 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDC07572 | Human | 3838 | Details Get a Quote |
| KPNA2 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ23470 | Human | 3838 | Details Get a Quote |
| KPNA2 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ24863 | Human | 3838 | Details Get a Quote |
| KPNA2 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ24864 | Human | 3838 | Details Get a Quote |
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