# MSI2

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/msi2/  
OnCo record `msi2` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

MSI2 (RNA-binding protein Musashi homolog 2) is a gene whose normal job is to hold cell growth in check. The public catalogues list it as a tumour suppressor and a fusion partner, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Breast cancer, Skin cancer and Neuroblastoma.

## Summary

RNA binding protein that regulates the expression of target mRNAs at the translation level. May play a role in the proliferation and maintenance of stem cells in the central nervous system.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.71 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.99, genetic association 0.52, somatic mutation 0.98). IntOGen calls it a driver in 1 cohort (0 activating, 1 loss-of-function), covering Neuroblastoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: musashi RNA binding protein 2; RNA-binding protein Musashi homolog 2
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MSI2
- Class: tumor-suppressor
- Biology: RNA binding protein that regulates the expression of target mRNAs at the translation level. May play a role in the proliferation and maintenance of stem cells in the central nervous system. Location: Cytoplasm (UniProt). Locus 17q22 (HGNC).
- Where found: Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.56 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.50 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Neuroblastoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (NBL)

## 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: IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 1 cohort; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "cohort-driver" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:18585: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:18585
- UniProt Q96DH6: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q96DH6/entry
- NCBI Gene 124540: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/124540
- Ensembl ENSG00000153944: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000153944

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Neuroblastoma (paediatric)](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroblastoma/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/msi2.json