Nanog homeobox pseudogene 4 (NANOGP4)

Nanog homeobox pseudogene 4 (NANOGP4, also annotated as NANOGP2) is one of several NANOG-derived pseudogenes in the human genome, specifically a processed pseudogene located on chromosome 7p15.1[3]. Unlike the canonical Nanog gene (NANOG), which encodes a crucial homeobox transcription factor involved in embryonic stem cell pluripotency and self-renewal, NANOGP4 does not produce a functional protein and is not believed to serve as a transcription factor or to have a direct biological or disease-related function[3][2][4][5]. The gene is most commonly referenced in genomic surveys and classifications of the homeobox gene family, where it is consistently described as a pseudogene—a segment of DNA resembling a gene, but generally non-functional due to mutations or lack of regulatory elements[3][4]. Alternative names (aliases) include NANOGP2 and Nanog homeobox pseudogene 2, reflecting inconsistent historical nomenclature[3]. In summary, NANOGP4 is not a viable pharmacological or therapeutic target, and should not be confused with functional Nanog paralogs such as NANOG or NANOGP8, which are actively involved in stem cell biology and cancer[1][2][4]. The target you named, "NANOGP4" (also called "NANOGP2"), is not a functional protein or therapeutic target; it is a pseudogene. References to it as a target or candidate for intervention in biological or disease processes are incorrect[3][4]. The only functional human *Nanog*-related transcription factors are encoded by NANOG and possibly by NANOGP8 in certain cancers[1][2][3][4][5].

Other names

NANOGP2Nanog pseudogene 4Nanog homeobox pseudogene 2