ELF2 Gene

HGNC Family	Helix-turn-helix ETS type domain containing
Name	E74-like factor 2 (ets domain transcription factor)
Description	Enables DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific and sequence-specific double-stranded DNA binding activity. Involved in negative regulation of DNA-templated transcription; positive regulation of DNA-templated transcription; and regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II. Located in cytosol and nuclear body. [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Mar 2025]
Summary	{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n ELF2, also known as NERF (new Ets‐related factor), is a member of the ETS transcription factor family that plays multifaceted roles in both normal cellular physiology and oncogenesis. In normal tissues, alternative ELF2 isoforms—typically designated as ELF2A and ELF2B—can exert opposing effects on gene expression, with ELF2A generally functioning as a transcriptional activator and ELF2B acting as a repressor. This isoform‐specific regulation is important for controlling cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and early B and T cell differentiation and angiogenesis."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In cancer, ELF2 has been implicated in promoting tumorigenesis and tumor progression. For example, in hepatoma cells, ELF2 is a direct target of thyroid hormone receptor (T3/TR) signaling; its downregulation contributes to tumor growth inhibition, while overexpression enhances cell proliferation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Moreover, ELF2 can directly transactivate oncogenic targets such as valosin‐containing protein (VCP), a regulator linked to cancer cell invasiveness, through specific binding motifs in the VCP promoter."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Additionally, recent studies have revealed that ELF2 expression can be deregulated by noncoding RNAs. In nasopharyngeal carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma, for instance, certain circular RNAs act as molecular sponges for microRNAs that normally target ELF2, thereby increasing ELF2 levels and promoting cell proliferation, invasion, and migration."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "6", "end_ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Furthermore, altered ELF2 expression has been correlated with poor prognosis in non‐small cell lung cancer, and chromosomal rearrangements resulting in haploinsufficiency of ELF2 have been identified in leukemia, underscoring its potential contribution to tumorigenesis."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "9"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Collectively, these findings indicate that ELF2 functions as a critical regulator of gene networks involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. By modulating its downstream targets, ELF2 contributes not only to normal hematopoietic and vascular development but also to the progression of various cancers.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Je-Yoel Cho, Yasmin Akbarali, Luiz F Zerbini, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Isoforms of the Ets transcription factor NERF/ELF-2 physically interact with AML1 and mediate opposing effects on AML1-mediated transcription of the B cell-specific blk gene."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.M309074200"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M309074200"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "14970218"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14970218"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Fiona H X Guan, Charles G Bailey, Cynthia Metierre, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The antiproliferative ELF2 isoform, ELF2B, induces apoptosis in vitro and perturbs early lymphocytic development in vivo."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Hematol Oncol (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1186/s13045-017-0446-7"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-017-0446-7"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28351373"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28351373"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "I-Hsiao Chung, Hsuan Liu, Yang-Hsiang Lin, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "ChIP-on-chip analysis of thyroid hormone-regulated genes and their physiological significance."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Oncotarget (2016)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.18632/oncotarget.7988"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.7988"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26968954"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26968954"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Ying Qiu, Eiichi Morii, Binglin Zhang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "E74-like factor 2 transactivates valosin-containing protein gene, a gene involved in cancer growth."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Exp Mol Pathol (2008)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.yexmp.2008.04.004"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yexmp.2008.04.004"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "18544453"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18544453"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cong-Cong Jia, Juan Du, Xia Liu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "B-Cell Receptor-Associated Protein 31 Regulates the Expression of Valosin-Containing Protein Through Elf2."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Physiol Biochem (2018)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1159/000495682"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1159/000495682"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "30504720"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30504720"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yejun Liu, Zezhang Tao, Jining Qu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Long non-coding RNA PCAT7 regulates ELF2 signaling through inhibition of miR-134-5p in nasopharyngeal carcinoma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem Biophys Res Commun (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.07.093"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.07.093"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28728844"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28728844"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jianming Gong, Xiangdong Kong, Jinhui Qi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "CircRNA_104565 Promoted Cell Proliferation in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma by Sponging miR-134."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Int J Gen Med (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.2147/IJGM.S288360"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S288360"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "33500653"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33500653"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xiaojun Ma, Yan Li "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Circ_0028007 Aggravates the Malignancy of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Regulating miR-656-3p/ELF2 Axis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem Genet (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1007/s10528-022-10205-8"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10528-022-10205-8"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "35239093"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35239093"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Shu-qing Jin, Yu-fei Pu, Ying Qiu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "[Correlation of PBX2/ELF2 expression with prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer]."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban (2014)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3785/j.issn.1008-9292.2014.06.001"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3785/j.issn.1008-9292.2014.06.001"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "25187455"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25187455"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 10, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "E Kowarz, T Burmeister, L Lo Nigro, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Complex MLL rearrangements in t(4;11) leukemia patients with absent AF4.MLL fusion allele."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Leukemia (2007)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/sj.leu.2404686"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2404686"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "17410185"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17410185"}]}]}]}
Synonyms	NERF-2, EU32, NERF-1A, NERF-1A,B, NERF, NERF-1B
Proteins	ELF2_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID	1998
API
Download Associations
Predicted Functions
Co-expressed Genes
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines

Functional Associations

ELF2 has 4,645 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 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) extracted from 113 datasets.

Click the + buttons to view associations for ELF2 from the datasets below.

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Harmonizome 3.0

ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray	tissue samples with high or low expression of ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of ELF2 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 ELF2 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Proteomics	Cell lines associated with ELF2 protein from the CCLE Cell Line Proteomics dataset.
	CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations	cell types associated with ELF2 gene from the CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of ELF2 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of ELF2 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022	transcription factors binding the promoter of ELF2 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset.
	CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules	small molecule perturbations changing expression of ELF2 gene from the CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing ELF2 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing ELF2 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing ELF2 protein in low- or high-throughput protein localization assays from the COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components co-occuring with ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with ELF2 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions	chemicals interacting with ELF2 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset.
	CTD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with ELF2 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action	small molecule perturbations with high or low expression of ELF2 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 ELF2 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset.
	DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases associated with ELF2 gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores	diseases co-occuring with ELF2 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 ELF2 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 ELF2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with ELF2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset.
	ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles	histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at ELF2 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 ELF2 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of ELF2 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 ELF2 from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset.
	GAD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with ELF2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with ELF2 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 ELF2 gene relative to other cell lines from the GDSC Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations	biological terms co-occuring with ELF2 gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset.