Epsin-2 (EPN2)

Epsin-2 is an endocytic adaptor protein, characterized by an epsin N-terminal homology (ENTH) domain that binds phosphoinositides and inserts into the plasma membrane, inducing curvature necessary for the formation and maturation of clathrin-coated pits and vesicles during endocytosis. The C-terminal domain is intrinsically disordered and interacts with clathrin and adaptor proteins such as AP-2, stabilizing endocytic complexes under varying membrane tension. Epsin-2 is expressed in the brain and may be involved in neuronal vesicle trafficking, as well as in broader cellular events related to membrane dynamics, cargo recruitment, and protein-protein interactions in regulated endocytosis. Studies in yeast and mammalian cells indicate epsins coordinate endocytosis with cell polarity and cell division by interacting with regulators of small GTPases (e.g., Cdc42), and may have roles in disease states such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Alternative splicing generates isoforms with potentially different activities.

Other names

EPN2epsin 2EHB21

No drugs directly target this protein; theoretically, compounds that interfere with ENTH domain interactions, clathrin binding, or membrane curvature could modulate its function.