| HGNC Family | Mucins (MUC) |
| Name | mucin 3A, cell surface associated |
| Description | The mucin genes encode epithelial glycoproteins, some of which are secreted and some membrane bound. Each of the genes contains at least one large domain of tandemly repeated sequence that encodes the peptide sequence rich in serine and/or threonine residues, which carries most of the O-linked glycosylation (Gendler and Spicer, 1995 [PubMed 7778880]).[supplied by OMIM, Aug 2008] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nMUC3A is a membrane-bound mucin encoded by a gene located on chromosome 7q22 that features a 21‐residue signal peptide followed by a large extracellular domain rich in threonine, serine, and proline residues. This domain, including a hypervariable repeat region, is believed to contribute to the formation of a protective mucosal barrier on epithelial surfaces. In normal tissues, MUC3A is expressed in the intestinal epithelium and renal convoluted tubules, reflecting its role in maintaining epithelial integrity."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nAltered expression of MUC3A has been implicated in tumor progression and poor clinical outcome. Epigenetic studies have demonstrated that hypomethylation of its proximal promoter is associated with increased expression across several carcinomas—including those of the breast, lung, pancreas, and colon—highlighting its potential role in carcinogenesis. In localized clear-cell renal cell carcinoma, high levels of MUC3A correlate with advanced tumor stage, increased necrosis, lymphovascular invasion, enhanced recurrence risk, and shorter overall survival. In colorectal cancer, overexpression of MUC3A drives tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and chemoresistance by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade. Similarly, in non–small cell lung cancer, MUC3A has been shown to stabilize the epidermal growth factor receptor, promote PD-L1 expression, and facilitate immune escape while modulating downstream signaling pathways and DNA damage repair processes."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "3", "end_ref": "7"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nOwing to these oncogenic functions, MUC3A is emerging as an attractive therapeutic target. Bioinformatics pipelines have identified it as a promising antigen for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in gastric adenocarcinoma, and further investigations suggest that its aberrant expression may be effectively exploited in immunotherapeutic strategies. Such targeting may not only impair tumor cell proliferation and invasion but also improve the overall response to conventional treatments."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "James R Gum, James W Hicks, Suzanne C Crawley, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Initiation of transcription of the MUC3A human intestinal mucin from a TATA-less promoter and comparison with the MUC3B amino terminus."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.M305769200"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M305769200"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12958310"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12958310"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xavier Leroy, Valerie Gouyer, Charles Ballereau, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Quantitative RT-PCR assay for MUC3 and VEGF mRNA in renal clear cell carcinoma: relationship with nuclear grade and prognosis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Urology (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/s0090-4295(03)00560-0"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/s0090-4295(03"}, {"type": "t", "text": "00560-0) PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "14550470"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14550470"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sho Kitamoto, Norishige Yamada, Seiya Yokoyama, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Promoter hypomethylation contributes to the expression of MUC3A in cancer cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem Biophys Res Commun (2010)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.05.124"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.05.124"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "20510874"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20510874"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Tian Niu, Yidong Liu, Yuan Zhang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Increased expression of MUC3A is associated with poor prognosis in localized clear-cell renal cell carcinoma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Oncotarget (2016)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.18632/oncotarget.10312"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.10312"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "27374181"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27374181"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Wei Su, Baijie Feng, Lina Hu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MUC3A promotes the progression of colorectal cancer through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "BMC Cancer (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1186/s12885-022-09709-8"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09709-8"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "35655161"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35655161"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yuan Luo, Shijing Ma, Yingming Sun, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MUC3A induces PD-L1 and reduces tyrosine kinase inhibitors effects in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Int J Biol Sci (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.7150/ijbs.57964"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.57964"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "33994852"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33994852"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yingming Sun, Xiaoge Sun, Chengcheng You, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MUC3A promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression via activating the NFκB pathway and attenuates radiosensitivity."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Int J Biol Sci (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.7150/ijbs.59430"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.59430"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34326691"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34326691"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Masoud Sotoudeh, Seyed Iman Shirvani, Shahin Merat, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MSLN (Mesothelin), ANTXR1 (TEM8), and MUC3A are the potent antigenic targets for CAR T cell therapy of gastric adenocarcinoma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Cell Biochem (2019)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1002/jcb.27776"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/jcb.27776"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "30260046"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30260046"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Masoud Sotoudeh, Vahid Mansouri, Ramin Shakeri, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Decoding the expression pattern of MUC3A in gastric adenocarcinoma: unveiling the key to successful immunotherapy."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Expert Opin Ther Targets (2023)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1080/14728222.2023.2293764"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1080/14728222.2023.2293764"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "38069509"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38069509"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | MUC-3A |
| Proteins | MUC3A_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 4584 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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MUC3A has 3,001 functional associations with biological entities spanning 7 categories (molecular profile, organism, chemical, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 61 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for MUC3A from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A 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 MUC3A 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 MUC3A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations | cell types associated with MUC3A 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 MUC3A gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of MUC3A 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 MUC3A 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 MUC3A gene from the CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing MUC3A protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components co-occuring with MUC3A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of MUC3A gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with MUC3A gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions | chemicals interacting with MUC3A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with MUC3A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases associated with MUC3A 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 MUC3A 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 MUC3A 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 MUC3A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with MUC3A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset. | |
| GAD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with MUC3A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with MUC3A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations | biological terms co-occuring with MUC3A 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 MUC3A from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases | disease perturbations changing expression of MUC3A 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 MUC3A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2023 | cellular components containing MUC3A protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures | tissue samples with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures dataset. | |
| Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other cell lines from the HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A protein relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other tissue samples from the HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of MUC3A gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| LINCS L1000 CMAP Chemical Perturbation Consensus Signatures | small molecule perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the LINCS L1000 CMAP Chemical Perturbations Consensus Signatures dataset. | |
| MiRTarBase microRNA Targets | microRNAs targeting MUC3A gene in low- or high-throughput microRNA targeting studies from the MiRTarBase microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of MUC3A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| MSigDB Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Cancer Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the MSigDB Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Cancer Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| NURSA Protein Complexes | protein complexs containing MUC3A protein recovered by IP-MS from the NURSA Protein Complexes dataset. | |
| Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions | interacting proteins for MUC3A from the Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving MUC3A protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Reactome Pathways 2014 | pathways involving MUC3A protein from the Reactome Pathways dataset. | |
| Reactome Pathways 2024 | pathways involving MUC3A protein from the Reactome Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low DNA methylation of MUC3A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of MUC3A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of MUC3A gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Sanger Dependency Map Cancer Cell Line Proteomics | cell lines associated with MUC3A protein from the Sanger Dependency Map Cancer Cell Line Proteomics dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of MUC3A protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of MUC3A protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues co-occuring with MUC3A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
