Cell adhesion molecule 2

CADM2
Identifiers
Aliases	CADM2, IGSF4D, NECL3, Necl-3, SynCAM 2, synCAM2, cell adhesion molecule 2
External IDs	OMIM: 609938; MGI: 2442722; GeneCards: CADM2
Available structures
PDB	Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB
List of PDB id codes
	3M45
Gene location (Human)
Chr.	Chromosome 3 (human)
End	86,074,429 bp
Gene location (Mouse)
Chr.	Chromosome 16 (mouse)
End	67,417,796 bp
RNA expression pattern
	Top expressed in
	endothelial cell; ; Brodmann area 23; ; internal globus pallidus; ; pars compacta; ; lateral nuclear group of thalamus; ; sural nerve; ; pars reticulata; ; Brodmann area 46; ; superior frontal gyrus; ; primary visual cortex;
	Top expressed in
	primary motor cortex; ; temporal lobe; ; substantia nigra; ; piriform cortex; ; prefrontal cortex; ; subdivision of hippocampus; ; Region I of hippocampus proper; ; dorsal striatum; ; olfactory tubercle; ; lateral geniculate nucleus;
	More reference expression data
	n/a
Gene ontology
Molecular function	signaling receptor binding; protein homodimerization activity; cell adhesion molecule binding;
Cellular component	integral component of membrane; axon; cell junction; plasma membrane; cell projection; integral component of plasma membrane; synapse; membrane;
Biological process	heterophilic cell-cell adhesion via plasma membrane cell adhesion molecules; cell adhesion; cell recognition; adherens junction organization; homophilic cell adhesion via plasma membrane adhesion molecules;
	Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs
Databases	NCBI: entry; OMA: entry
	253559
	239857
	ENSG00000175161
	ENSMUSG00000064115
	Q8N3J6
	Q8BLQ9
NM_001167674; NM_001167675; NM_001256502; NM_001256503; NM_001256504;
	NM_001256505; NM_153184; NM_001375960; NM_001375961; NM_001375964; NM_001375967; NM_001375968; NM_001381963; NM_001381964
	NM_001145977; NM_178721; NM_001347247
NP_001161146; NP_001161147; NP_001243431; NP_001243432; NP_001243433;
	NP_001243434; NP_694854; NP_001362889; NP_001362890; NP_001362893; NP_001362896; NP_001362897; NP_001368892; NP_001368893
	NP_001139449; NP_001334176; NP_848836
	Wikidata
View/Edit Human	View/Edit Mouse

Cell adhesion molecule 2 is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the CADM2 gene. It is one member of a broad family of cell adhesion molecules and is believed to be important in organizing synapses.^[5]

Role in disease

Measles

Research has suggested that CADM2 alongside its family memember CADM1 can act as receptors for Measles virus potentially leading to neurological complications from measles.^[6]

Role in behavior

Research has linked variations in CADM2 to a variety of behavioral and lifestyle conditions, including risk-taking behavior, reproductive success, and body mass index/obesity.^[7]

References

1 2 3 GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000175161 – Ensembl, May 2017
1 2 3 GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000064115 – Ensembl, May 2017
↑ "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
↑ "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
↑ Pellissier, Francois (1 October 2007). "The adhesion molecule Necl-3/SynCAM-2 localizes to myelinated axons, binds to oligodendrocytes and promotes cell adhesion". BMC Neuroscience. doi:10.1186/1471-2202-8-90. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
↑ Takemoto, Ryuichi (1 May 2023). "Interaction of the Hemagglutinin Stalk Region with Cell Adhesion Molecule (CADM) 1 and CADM2 Mediates the Spread between Neurons and Neuropathogenicity of Measles Virus with a Hyperfusogenic Fusion Protein". Journal of Virology. doi:10.1128/jvi.00340-23. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
↑ Pasman, Joelle (1 Jul 2022). "The CADM2 Gene and Behavior: A Phenome-Wide Scan in UK-Biobank". Behavior Genetics. doi:10.1007/s10519-022-10109-8. Retrieved 11 August 2026.

[refGRCh38Ensembl-1] 1 2 3 GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000175161 – Ensembl, May 2017

[refGRCm38Ensembl-2] 1 2 3 GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000064115 – Ensembl, May 2017

[3] "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

[4] "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

[5] Pellissier, Francois (1 October 2007). "The adhesion molecule Necl-3/SynCAM-2 localizes to myelinated axons, binds to oligodendrocytes and promotes cell adhesion". BMC Neuroscience. doi:10.1186/1471-2202-8-90. Retrieved 11 August 2026.

[6] Takemoto, Ryuichi (1 May 2023). "Interaction of the Hemagglutinin Stalk Region with Cell Adhesion Molecule (CADM) 1 and CADM2 Mediates the Spread between Neurons and Neuropathogenicity of Measles Virus with a Hyperfusogenic Fusion Protein". Journal of Virology. doi:10.1128/jvi.00340-23. Retrieved 11 August 2026.

[7] Pasman, Joelle (1 Jul 2022). "The CADM2 Gene and Behavior: A Phenome-Wide Scan in UK-Biobank". Behavior Genetics. doi:10.1007/s10519-022-10109-8. Retrieved 11 August 2026.

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