POU class 2 homeobox associating factor 2 (POU2AF2)

POU class 2 homeobox associating factor 2 (POU2AF2, also known as C11orf53 or OCA-T1) is a transcriptional co-activator that plays a pivotal role in maintaining enhancer activity and chromatin accessibility, primarily through its partnership with the master transcription factor POU2F3[1][3][4]. POU2AF2 is essential for the maintenance and differentiation of tuft cells in various epithelial tissues, influencing gene expression by co-activating distal enhancer elements and interacting with chromatin remodeling complexes such as SWI/SNF[1][2][3]. Genetic depletion of POU2AF2 leads to altered transcriptional landscapes, chromatin structure changes, and can impair cell viability—particularly in tuft-cell-like small cell lung cancer, making it a candidate therapeutic target within this cancer subtype[1][3]. POU2AF2 does not function as a classical DNA-binding factor: it lacks direct chromatin recognition domains, instead it is recruited to chromatin by POU2F3 to facilitate open chromatin and regulate lineage-specific gene expression. Additionally, POU2AF2 is identified as a critical regulator for tuft cell-mediated immune responses in tissues such as the gut, highlighting its broader role in epithelial biology and immunity[4]. No direct drug interactions or approved therapeutics currently target POU2AF2, though its pathway is considered a potential intervention strategy for certain cancers[1].

Other names

OCA-T1C11orf53Protein OCA-T1Oct coactivator from tuft cells 1OCAT1MGC50104uncharacterized protein C11orf53