# IFNAR2

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/ifnar2/  
OnCo record `ifnar2` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

IFNAR2 (Interferon alpha/beta receptor 2) is a gene. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, and an approved or late-stage drug is recorded against it. Tied to Myeloproliferative neoplasms, Leukaemia, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 5 more.

## Summary

Together with IFNAR1, forms the heterodimeric receptor for type I interferons (including interferons alpha, beta, epsilon, omega and kappa). Type I interferon binding activates the JAK-STAT signalling cascade, resulting in transcriptional activation or repression of interferon-regulated genes that encode the effectors of the interferon response. Mechanistically, type I interferon-binding brings the IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits into close proximity with one another, driving their associated Janus kinases (JAKs) (TYK2 bound to IFNAR1 and JAK1 bound to IFNAR2) to cross-phosphorylate one another.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.61 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.61, genetic association 0.00, clinical 0.98).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: interferon alpha and beta receptor subunit 2; Interferon alpha/beta receptor 2; IFNABR
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: IFNAR2
- Class: other
- Biology: Together with IFNAR1, forms the heterodimeric receptor for type I interferons (including interferons alpha, beta, epsilon, omega and kappa). Type I interferon binding activates the JAK-STAT signalling cascade, resulting in transcriptional activation or repression of interferon-regulated genes that encode the effectors of the interferon response. Mechanistically, type I interferon-binding brings the IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits into close proximity with one another, driving their associated Janus kinases (JAKs) (TYK2 bound to IFNAR1 and JAK1 bound to IFNAR2) to cross-phosphorylate one another. The activated kinases phosphorylate specific tyrosine residues on the intracellular domains of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2, forming docking sites for the STAT transcription factors (STAT1, STAT2 and STAT). STAT proteins are then phosphorylated by the JAKs, promoting their translocation into the nucleus to regulate expression of interferon-regulated genes. Potent inhibitor of type I IFN receptor activity. Location: Cell membrane; Secreted (UniProt). Locus 21q22.11 (HGNC).
- Where found: Myeloproliferative neoplasms: Open Targets association 0.60 with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MONDO_0020076); Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.58 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059); Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.57 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); Multiple myeloma: Open Targets association 0.50 with plasma cell myeloma (MONDO_0009693); Melanoma: Open Targets association 0.59 with melanoma (MONDO_0005105); Polycythaemia vera: Open Targets association 0.58 with acquired polycythemia vera (MONDO_0009891)

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: Open Targets known-drug datatype score 0.98. Evidence tier "approved-drug" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:5433: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:5433
- UniProt P48551: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P48551/entry
- NCBI Gene 3455: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3455
- Ensembl ENSG00000159110: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000159110

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/all-leukemia/), [Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)](https://onco.cc/cancers/cml/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Myeloproliferative neoplasms (PV, ET, myelofibrosis)](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloproliferative-neoplasms/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [Polycythaemia vera (PV)](https://onco.cc/cancers/polycythaemia-vera/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/ifnar2.json