Niban apoptosis regulator 2 (NIBAN2)

Niban apoptosis regulator 2 (NIBAN2), also known as FAM129B or MINERVA, is a stress-responsive protein that regulates apoptosis primarily via modulation of the p53 degradation pathway. Upon stress (such as ultraviolet irradiation), NIBAN2 is phosphorylated by AKT at serine 602, which enhances its binding to nucleophosmin (NPM). This disrupts NPM's stabilizing effect on p53, promoting MDM2-mediated p53 degradation and resulting in a survival advantage to cells under genotoxic stress. NIBAN2 is notably overexpressed in human cancer cells and may play a role in cancer progression through antiapoptotic mechanisms and, in melanoma, by promoting cell invasion. Its functions position it as a potential therapeutic target or biomarker for certain malignancies, though direct drug targeting is not yet established in clinical settings

Other names

Protein Niban 2C9orf88FAM129BMINERVADKFZP434H0820FLJ13518FLJ22151FLJ22298bA356B19.6Meg-3Melanoma invasion by ERKNiban-like protein 1Protein FAM129BMEG-3OC58family with sequence similarity 129 member B

AKT-dependent phosphorylation modulates NIBAN2 function. Inhibition of AKT prevents NIBAN2 phosphorylation and its antiapoptotic effects. Indirect targeting through AKT/PI3K pathway affects NIBAN2-mediated survival.