| Name | TRPM8 channel-associated factor 2 |
| Description | Enables transmembrane transporter binding activity. Involved in negative regulation of anion channel activity; positive regulation of cell migration; and positive regulation of protein targeting to membrane. Located in cell junction and plasma membrane. [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Mar 2025] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nTCAF2 is emerging as a key modulator of the cold-sensing TRPM8 channel, where it partners with TCAF1 to promote channel trafficking to the cell surface while exerting effects on channel gating properties that distinctly influence cell migration. In prostate cancer cells, for example, while TCAF1 is associated with reduced migration, TCAF2 functions to enhance cellular motility."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nAt the genomic level, TCAF2 has undergone human-specific duplication and copy number variation, suggesting that its diversification may have contributed to adaptations in cold and dietary sensing. Elevated TCAF2 expression in tissues such as liver and prostate, as well as the identification of distinct human haplogroups, underscore a complex regulatory evolution that could impact TRPM8 function across multiple tissues."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nBeyond its role in sensory transduction, TCAF2 has been implicated in tumor biology. In colorectal cancer liver metastasis, overexpression of TCAF2 in tumor pericytes correlates with aggressive disease. Mechanistic studies reveal that TCAF2 inhibits TRPM8 activity, promoting Wnt5a secretion that in turn activates STAT3 signaling and drives epithelial–mesenchymal transition, thereby fostering tumor cell motility and metastasis."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nSimilarly, in glioma, emerging evidence suggests that TCAF2 localizes to cell junctions and the plasma membrane, with increased expression associated with higher-grade tumors. While initial reports noted an elusive role in glioma"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ", subsequent investigations have demonstrated that elevated TCAF2 levels promote glioma cell migratory and invasive properties via an EMT-like process mediated by STAT3 activation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Dimitra Gkika, Loic Lemonnier, George Shapovalov, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "TRP channel-associated factors are a novel protein family that regulates TRPM8 trafficking and activity."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Cell Biol (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1083/jcb.201402076"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201402076"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "25559186"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25559186"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "PingHsun Hsieh, Vy Dang, Mitchell R Vollger, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Evidence for opposing selective forces operating on human-specific duplicated TCAF genes in Neanderthals and humans."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Commun (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/s41467-021-25435-4"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25435-4"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34433829"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34433829"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xiaobo Li, Qi Qi, Yong Li, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "TCAF2 in Pericytes Promotes Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis via Inhibiting Cold-Sensing TRPM8 Channel."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Adv Sci (Weinh) (2023)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1002/advs.202302717"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202302717"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "37635201"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37635201"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yongshuai Li, Jiaqiong Li, Huaqing Chen, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "TCAF2 is associated with the immune microenvironment, promotes pathogenesis, and impairs prognosis in glioma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Gene (2023)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.gene.2023.147667"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2023.147667"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "37506986"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37506986"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Debo Yun, Jianshen Liang, Xuya Wang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "TCAF2 drives glioma cellular migratory/invasion properties through STAT3 signaling."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mol Cell Biochem (2024)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1007/s11010-023-04891-0"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-023-04891-0"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "38019450"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38019450"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | GATD9, FAM115C, FAM139A |
| Proteins | TCAF2_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 285966 |
| 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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TCAF2 has 3,576 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 72 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 RNA-seq | tissue samples with high or low expression of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of TCAF2 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Proteomics | Cell lines associated with TCAF2 protein from the CCLE Cell Line Proteomics dataset. | |
| CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations | cell types associated with TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas | gene perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components containing TCAF2 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with TCAF2 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with TCAF2 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of TCAF2 gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations | biological terms co-occuring with TCAF2 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 TCAF2 from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases | disease perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving TCAF2 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving TCAF2 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving TCAF2 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 | cellular components containing TCAF2 protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by TCAF2 gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures dataset. | |
| GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 | phenotypes associated with TCAF2 gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset. | |
| HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene relative to other tissue samples from the HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for TCAF2 protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain TCAF2 protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MiRTarBase microRNA Targets | microRNAs targeting TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| MoTrPAC Rat Endurance Exercise Training | tissue samples with high or low expression of TCAF2 gene relative to other tissue samples from the MoTrPAC Rat Endurance Exercise Training dataset. | |
| MSigDB Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Cancer Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 gene from the MSigDB Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Cancer Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box Gene Expression Profiles | drug perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 gene from the NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box dataset. | |
| NURSA Protein Complexes | protein complexs containing TCAF2 protein recovered by IP-MS from the NURSA Protein Complexes dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 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 TCAF2 gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving TCAF2 protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of TCAF2 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at TCAF2 gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 | transcription factors regulating expression of TCAF2 gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of TCAF2 gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations | cell types with high or low expression of TCAF2 gene relative to other cell types from the Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of TCAF2 gene predicted using conserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of TCAF2 gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of TCAF2 gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of TCAF2 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of TCAF2 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of TCAF2 protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of TCAF2 protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with TCAF2 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
