| Symbol |
NCL |
| Full Name |
Nucleolin |
| Chromosome |
2q37.1 |
| NCBI Gene |
4690 |
| Ensembl |
ENSG00000115053 |
| OMIM |
164035 |
| UniProt |
P19367 |
| Protein |
[Nucleolin Protein](/proteins/nucleolin) |
| Diseases |
Neurodegeneration, Cancer, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis |
| Expression |
Nucleolus, Brain (neurons, hippocampus, cortex) |
Ncl — Nucleolin is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
NCL (Nucleolin) encodes a multifunctional nucleolar phosphoprotein that is one of the most abundant proteins in the nucleolus. It plays essential roles in ribosome biogenesis, chromatin remodeling, DNA replication, and RNA metabolism. Nucleolin is also expressed on the cell surface where it serves as a binding site for various ligands. Dysregulated nucleolin function has been implicated in neurodegeneration and cancer.
Nucleolin performs diverse cellular functions:
- Ribosome Biogenesis: Facilitates transcription of rRNA genes by RNA polymerase I, processes pre-rRNA, and assembles ribosomal subunits
- Chromatin Remodeling: Binds to histone H1 and modulates chromatin structure
- DNA Repair: Involved in DNA damage response and repair pathways
- RNA Metabolism: Associates with various RNA species including mRNA, snRNA, and microRNAs
- Cell Surface Receptor: Acts as a receptor for various growth factors and pathogens
- Nuclear Import: Mediates nuclear transport of proteins and nucleic acids
Nucleolin alterations are implicated in several neurodegenerative conditions:
- Alzheimer's Disease: Colocalizes with amyloid-beta plaques and may influence APP processing
- Parkinson's Disease: Involved in alpha-synuclein aggregation and toxicity
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): TDP-43 pathology affects nucleolin localization; some NCL variants increase ALS risk
- Huntington's Disease: Altered nucleolar function contributes to transcriptional dysregulation
Nucleolin is overexpressed in many cancers:
- Promotes cell proliferation and survival
- Angiogenesis through VEGF signaling
- Metastasis via cell surface nucleolin
- Therapeutic target for cancer treatment
Dysfunction in ribosome biogenesis due to nucleolin alterations can cause:
- Diamond-Blackfan anemia
- Treacher Collins syndrome
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
Nucleolin is ubiquitously expressed with highest levels in:
- Nucleolus (in all cell types)
- Brain (neurons, especially in the hippocampus and cortex)
- Rapidly proliferating cells (embryonic tissues, cancer cells)
- Endothelial cells
- Ginisty H, et al. (1999). "Structure and functions of nucleolin." J Cell Sci 112(Pt 6):761-772. PMID:10051131
- Scott DD, et al. (2011). "Nucleolin: a multi-tasking protein." J Cell Physiol 226(7):1792-1801. PMID:21337556
- Maras B, et al. (2020). "Nucleolin in neurodegeneration." Neurosci Lett 715:134605. PMID:31759919
The study of Ncl — Nucleolin has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
- Ginisty H, Sicard H, Roger B, Bouvet P. Structure and functions of nucleolin. J Cell Sci. 1999;112(Pt 6):761-772. PMID:10051131
- Scott DD, Oryan AE, Moseley LL, Dawid IB. Nucleolin: a multi-tasking protein with key roles in cell physiology. J Cell Physiol. 2011;226(7):1792-1801. PMID:21337556
- Maras B, Grimaldi G, Nicassio F, Tato M. Nucleolin in neurodegeneration: implications for protein aggregation and neuroinflammation. Neurosci Lett. 2020;715:134605. PMID:31759919
- Abdelmohsen K, Gorospe M. RNA-binding protein nucleolin in disease. RNA Biol. 2012;9(6):799-808. PMID:22614825
- Mongiardi MP, Milite D, Castagnoli L, et al. Nucleolin as a therapeutic target in cancer and neurodegeneration. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2011;15(5):623-638. PMID:21417836