DBI Gene

Name	diazepam binding inhibitor (GABA receptor modulator, acyl-CoA binding protein)
Description	This gene encodes diazepam binding inhibitor, a protein that is regulated by hormones and is involved in lipid metabolism and the displacement of beta-carbolines and benzodiazepines, which modulate signal transduction at type A gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors located in brain synapses. The protein is conserved from yeast to mammals, with the most highly conserved domain consisting of seven contiguous residues that constitute the hydrophobic binding site for medium- and long-chain acyl-Coenzyme A esters. Diazepam binding inhibitor is also known to mediate the feedback regulation of pancreatic secretion and the postprandial release of cholecystokinin, in addition to its role as a mediator in corticotropin-dependent adrenal steroidogenesis. Three pseudogenes located on chromosomes 6, 8 and 16 have been identified. Multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
Summary	{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI), also known as acyl‐CoA–binding protein (ACBP), is a multifunctional protein with dual roles in the central nervous system and peripheral lipid metabolism. In the brain, DBI is expressed predominantly in nonneuronal supporting cells (e.g., astrocytes, Bergmann glia, Müller cells) where it acts as an endogenous ligand that allosterically modulates γ‐aminobutyric acid type‑A receptor function. This “endozepine” activity potentiates GABAergic synaptic transmission in key regions such as the thalamic reticular nucleus, thereby helping to suppress aberrant thalamocortical oscillations linked to absence epilepsy."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n \n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Beyond its neuromodulatory role, DBI/ACBP is a conserved regulator of intracellular lipid homeostasis. By binding long‐chain acyl‑CoA esters with high affinity, DBI directs their intracellular partitioning, thereby modulating enzymatic activities involved in fatty acid synthesis, β‑oxidation, and cholesteryl ester formation. Its ability to interact with membranes and participate in lipid transfer processes influences key metabolic pathways and even transcription of lipogenic genes, as demonstrated by its role in downregulating enzymes of cholesterol synthesis."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Furthermore, secreted DBI provides feedback inhibition of autophagy, linking lipid metabolism to cellular nutrient adaptation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n \n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n The essential nature of DBI is further underscored by genetic studies: targeted disruption of the DBI (ACBP) gene in mice leads to preimplantation lethality and early metabolic defects, while knock‑down experiments in cell culture result in growth arrest and cell death."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "5", "end_ref": "7"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n \n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In the brain, DBI is highly expressed in astrocytes of regions implicated in energy homeostasis. Functional studies indicate that DBI regulates unsaturated long‑chain fatty acid metabolism in astrocytes and interfaces with neuronal circuits governing appetite and energy balance, with alterations in DBI levels affecting feeding behavior and metabolic fuel utilization."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n \n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Structural analyses further reveal that DBI/ACBP exhibits conserved binding modes for acyl‑CoA ligands, supporting its role in lipid transfer and enzyme regulation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "10"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Overall, the collective evidence positions DBI as a critical mediator linking neurotransmission and neurometabolic processes with broader implications for cell survival, energy balance, and metabolic homeostasis.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Catherine A Christian, Anne G Herbert, Rebecca L Holt, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Endogenous positive allosteric modulation of GABA(A) receptors by diazepam binding inhibitor."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Neuron (2013)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.neuron.2013.04.026"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.04.026"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "23727119"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23727119"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Haruko Yanase, Hidemi Shimizu, Keiko Yamada, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cellular localization of the diazepam binding inhibitor in glial cells with special reference to its coexistence with brain-type fatty acid binding protein."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Arch Histol Cytol (2002)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1679/aohc.65.27"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1679/aohc.65.27"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12002608"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12002608"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Christina Vock, Frank Döring, Inke Nitz "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Transcriptional regulation of HMG-CoA synthase and HMG-CoA reductase genes by human ACBP."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Physiol Biochem (2008)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1159/000185525"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1159/000185525"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19088433"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19088433"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "José M Bravo-San Pedro, Valentina Sica, Isabelle Martins, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Acyl-CoA-Binding Protein Is a Lipogenic Factor that Triggers Food Intake and Obesity."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Metab (2019)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.cmet.2019.07.010"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.07.010"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "31422903"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31422903"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Danilo Landrock, Barbara P Atshaves, Avery L McIntosh, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Acyl-CoA binding protein gene ablation induces pre-implantation embryonic lethality in mice."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Lipids (2010)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1007/s11745-010-3437-9"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-010-3437-9"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "20559753"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20559753"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Ditte Neess, Maria Bloksgaard, Signe Bek, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Disruption of the acyl-CoA-binding protein gene delays hepatic adaptation to metabolic changes at weaning."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2011)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.M110.161109"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M110.161109"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "21106527"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21106527"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nils J Faergeman, Jens Knudsen "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Acyl-CoA binding protein is an essential protein in mammalian cell lines."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem J (2002)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1042/BJ20021413"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20021413"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12396232"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12396232"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Khalil Bouyakdan, Bouchra Taïb, Lionel Budry, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "A novel role for central ACBP/DBI as a regulator of long-chain fatty acid metabolism in astrocytes."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Neurochem (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1111/jnc.13035"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.13035"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "25598214"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25598214"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Khalil Bouyakdan, Hugo Martin, Fabienne Liénard, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The gliotransmitter ACBP controls feeding and energy homeostasis via the melanocortin system."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Clin Invest (2019)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1172/JCI123454"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI123454"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "30938715"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30938715"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 10, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jukka P Taskinen, Daan M van Aalten, Jens Knudsen, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "High resolution crystal structures of unliganded and liganded human liver ACBP reveal a new mode of binding for the acyl-CoA ligand."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Proteins (2007)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1002/prot.21124"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/prot.21124"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "17044054"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17044054"}]}]}]}
Synonyms	EP, ACBD1, CCK-RP
Proteins	ACBP_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID	1622
API
Download Associations
Predicted Functions
Co-expressed Genes
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines

Functional Associations

DBI has 8,417 functional associations with biological entities spanning 9 categories (molecular profile, organism, chemical, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA, sequence feature) extracted from 112 datasets.

Click the + buttons to view associations for DBI from the datasets below.

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Harmonizome 3.0

DBI Gene

Functional Associations

Please acknowledge the Harmonizome in your publications by citing the following reference(s):

	Dataset	Summary
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles	tissue samples with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray	tissue samples with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq	tissue samples with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other cell lines from the BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures	small molecule perturbations changing expression of DBI gene from the Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of DBI gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of DBI gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of DBI gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing DBI protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing DBI protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components co-occuring with DBI protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components co-occuring with DBI protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of DBI gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with DBI gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions	chemicals interacting with DBI gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset.
	CTD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with DBI gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action	small molecule perturbations with high or low expression of DBI protein relative to other small molecule perturbations from the DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action dataset.
	DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency	cell lines with fitness changed by DBI gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores	diseases co-occuring with DBI gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases co-occuring with DBI gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with DBI gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with DBI gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset.
	DrugBank Drug Targets	interacting drugs for DBI protein from the curated DrugBank Drug Targets dataset.
	ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles	histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at DBI gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of DBI gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of DBI gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells	PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing DBI from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset.
	GAD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with DBI gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with DBI gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GDSC Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of DBI gene relative to other cell lines from the GDSC Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations	biological terms co-occuring with DBI gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset.
	GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures	PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing DBI from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset.
	GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases	disease perturbations changing expression of DBI gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases dataset.
	GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations	gene perturbations changing expression of DBI gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset.