| HGNC Family | Endogenous ligands |
| Name | pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide |
| Description | This gene encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to generate multiple protein products. The encoded products are members of the RFamide family of neuropeptides, characterized by their common protein C-terminus consisting of an arginine (R) and an amidated phenylalanine (F). These products include the neuropeptides 26RFa and the N-terminally extended form, 43RFa. Both of these neuropeptides bind to the pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide receptor (QRFPR) and may regulate blood pressure, reproduction and food intake in rodents. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2015] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nQRFP, also known as 26RFa, was originally identified as a novel RFamide neuropeptide in lower vertebrates and has since been confirmed to be produced in the human central nervous system. Early studies in amphibians revealed that 26RFa acts within the brain to stimulate feeding behavior, while subsequent investigations in human tissues located 26RFa‐expressing neurons in key hypothalamic nuclei (e.g., the paraventricular and ventromedial nuclei) as well as in the spinal cord, where an N-terminally extended variant (43RFa) was also detected. These findings implicate QRFP/26RFa in the central regulation of behaviors related to energy balance, sexual function, and nociception."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nBeyond its central actions, QRFP/26RFa plays a critical role in modulating feeding and metabolic homeostasis. Clinical observations in conditions such as restrictive anorexia nervosa indicate an adaptive yet insufficient orexigenic profile associated with this peptide. In parallel, experimental models have demonstrated that QRFP not only stimulates food intake but also acts as an incretin; QRFP administration in rodents enhances plasma insulin levels and improves insulin sensitivity, suggesting a role in glucose homeostasis."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nPeripherally, QRFP exerts autocrine and paracrine actions in adipose tissue. Investigations in adipocyte cell models have shown that QRFP peptides (both the 43-amino acid and 26-amino acid forms) activate the G protein-coupled receptor GPR103, thereby stimulating triglyceride accumulation, enhancing fatty acid uptake, and inhibiting lipolysis. These effects are associated with upregulation of key adipogenic genes and suggest that QRFP is an important modulator of adipogenesis and lipid metabolism."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Romain Thuau, Laure Guilhaudis, Isabelle Ségalas-Milazzo, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Structural studies on 26RFa, a novel human RFamide-related peptide with orexigenic activity."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Peptides (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.peptides.2005.01.006"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2005.01.006"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15808908"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15808908"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Federica Bruzzone, Benoît Lectez, Hélène Tollemer, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Anatomical distribution and biochemical characterization of the novel RFamide peptide 26RFa in the human hypothalamus and spinal cord."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Neurochem (2006)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04090.x"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04090.x"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "16899066"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16899066"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Bogdan Galusca, Lydie Jeandel, Natacha Germain, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Orexigenic neuropeptide 26RFa: new evidence for an adaptive profile of appetite regulation in anorexia nervosa."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2012)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1210/jc.2011-3396"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2011-3396"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "22466335"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22466335"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Gaëtan Prévost, Lydie Jeandel, Arnaud Arabo, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Hypothalamic Neuropeptide 26RFa Acts as an Incretin to Regulate Glucose Homeostasis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Diabetes (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.2337/db14-1864"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.2337/db14-1864"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "25858563"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25858563"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mukandila Mulumba, Christian Jossart, Riccarda Granata, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "GPR103b functions in the peripheral regulation of adipogenesis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mol Endocrinol (2010)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1210/me.2010-0010"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1210/me.2010-0010"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "20534693"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20534693"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | 26RFA, P518 |
| Proteins | OX26_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 347148 |
| 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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QRFP has 3,007 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 68 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of QRFP gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of QRFP 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 QRFP gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of QRFP gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of QRFP 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 QRFP gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing QRFP protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components co-occuring with QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with QRFP gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency | cell lines with fitness changed by QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of QRFP 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 QRFP from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset. | |
| GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations | biological terms co-occuring with QRFP 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 QRFP from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of QRFP gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving QRFP gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving QRFP gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving QRFP gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 | cellular components containing QRFP protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by QRFP gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 | molecular functions performed by QRFP gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 | molecular functions performed by QRFP gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP 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 QRFP protein relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for QRFP protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of QRFP gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of QRFP gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of QRFP gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| KEGG Pathways 2026 | pathways involving QRFP protein from the KEGG Pathways 2026 dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of QRFP gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain QRFP protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 | phenotypes of transgenic mice caused by QRFP gene mutations from the MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of QRFP gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of QRFP gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Mouse Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of QRFP gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 | pathways involving QRFP protein from the PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving QRFP protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Reactome Pathways 2014 | pathways involving QRFP protein from the Reactome Pathways dataset. | |
| Reactome Pathways 2024 | pathways involving QRFP protein from the Reactome Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at QRFP gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of QRFP gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of QRFP gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of QRFP gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of QRFP protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues co-occuring with QRFP protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with QRFP protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
