# NSD2

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/nsd2/  
OnCo record `nsd2` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

NSD2 (Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase NSD2) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, a tumour suppressor, a biomarker and a fusion partner, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Multiple myeloma, Bladder & urothelial cancer, Lung cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Histone methyltransferase which specifically dimethylates nucleosomal histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me2). Also monomethylates nucleosomal histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me) in vitro. Does not trimethylate nucleosomal histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me3).

CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence item and 0 assertions across 1 variant. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.64 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.98, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.83). IntOGen calls it a driver in 4 cohorts (3 activating, 1 loss-of-function), covering Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Burkitt Lymphoma, Plasma Cell Myeloma, Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 2; Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase NSD2; MMSET; KMT3G; WHSC1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: NSD2
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Histone methyltransferase which specifically dimethylates nucleosomal histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me2). Also monomethylates nucleosomal histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me) in vitro. Does not trimethylate nucleosomal histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me3). However, specifically trimethylates histone H3 at 'Lys-36' (H3K36me3) at euchromatic regions in embryonic stem (ES) cells. By methylating histone H3 at 'Lys-36', involved in the regulation of gene transcription during various biological processes. In ES cells, associates with developmental transcription factors such as SALL1 and represses inappropriate gene transcription mediated by histone deacetylation. Location: Nucleus; Chromosome; Cytoplasm; Nucleus, nucleolus (UniProt). Locus 4p16.3 (HGNC).
- Where found: Multiple myeloma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PCM); Bladder & urothelial cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (UTUC); Lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.54 with lung cancer (MONDO_0008903); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.54 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.53 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Open Targets association 0.52 with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (MONDO_0010150)

## 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 an activating (Act) driver in 3 cohorts; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 1 cohort; CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence items on its variants; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:12766: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:12766
- UniProt O96028: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/O96028/entry
- NCBI Gene 7468: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/7468
- Ensembl ENSG00000109685: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000109685

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Bladder & urothelial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/urothelial/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/nsd2.json