Ovaj gen kodira člana porodice homeoboksnih gena mišićnog segmenta. Kodirani protein je transkripcijski represor čija normalna aktivnost može uspostaviti ravnotežu između preživljavanja i apoptoze ćelija izvedenih iz nevnog grebena, potrebnih za pravilnu kraniofacijsku morfogenezu. Kodirani protein takođe može imati ulogu u promociji rasta ćelija pod određenim uslovima i može biti važna meta za RAS signalne puteve. Mutacije ovog gena su povezane sa tjemenim otvorom 1 i kraniosinostozom tip 2.[7]
Msx2 je homeoboksni gen lokaliziran na ljudskom hromosomu 5, ai kodira represor i aktivator transkripcije (MSX-2) odgovoran za kraniofacijalni razvoj i razvoj pupoljaka udova. Ćelije eksprimiraju msx2 kada su izložene signalnim molekulama BMP-2 i BMP-4 in situ.[9] Ekspresija msx2 dovodi do proliferacije, migracije i osteogene diferencijacije ćelijanervnog grebena tokom embriogeneze i frakture kosti.[10] Dobro je dokumentovano da će ekspresija adhezjskih molekula ćelija-ćelija, kao što su E-kadherini, promovirati strukturni integritet i epitelni raspored ćelija, dok ekspresija N-kadherina i vimentina promoviše mezenhimski raspored i migraciju ćelija.[11][12] Msx2 smanjuje regulaciju E-kadherina i povećava N-kadherin i vimentin, što ukazuje na njegovu ulogu u izazivanju epitelne mezenhimske tranzicije (EMT). Za ovaj gen kreirani miševi genotipa (Msx2 +/–) nokautiranjem zametne linije kako bi se ispitao funkcionalni gubitak.[13] Kliničke studije o kraniosinostozi, ili preranoj fuziji kranijalnih struktura, pokazale su da je ovo stanje genetički povezano s mutacijom homeoboksnog gena msx2.[14]
^"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.
^Takahashi C, Akiyama N, Matsuzaki T, Takai S, Kitayama H, Noda M (maj 1996). "Characterization of a human MSX-2 cDNA and its fragment isolated as a transformation suppressor gene against v-Ki-ras oncogene". Oncogene. 12 (10): 2137–46. PMID8668339.
^Liu H, Chen B, Li Y (mart 2019). "microRNA-203 promotes proliferation, differentiation, and migration of osteoblasts by upregulation of Msh homeobox 2". Journal of Cellular Physiology. 234 (10): 17639–17648. doi:10.1002/jcp.28387. PMID30854680. S2CID73726197.
^Fujita T, Hayashida K, Shiba H, Kishimoto A, Matsuda S, Takeda K, Kawaguchi H, Kurihara H (august 2010). "The expressions of claudin-1 and E-cadherin in junctional epithelium". Journal of Periodontal Research. 45 (4): 579–82. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0765.2009.01258.x. PMID20337884.
^Zhao Y, Yao J, Wu XP, Zhao L, Zhou YX, Zhang Y, You QD, Guo QL, Lu N (juni 2015). "Wogonin suppresses human alveolar adenocarcinoma cell A549 migration in inflammatory microenvironment by modulating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway". Molecular Carcinogenesis. 54 Suppl 1: E81-93. doi:10.1002/mc.22182. PMID24976450. S2CID29685898.
Suzuki M, Tanaka M, Iwase T, Naito Y, Sugimura H, Kino I (juli 1993). "Over-expression of HOX-8, the human homologue of the mouse Hox-8 homeobox gene, in human tumors". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 194 (1): 187–93. doi:10.1006/bbrc.1993.1802. hdl:10271/1007. PMID7687426.
Semenza GL, Wang GL, Kundu R (april 1995). "DNA binding and transcriptional properties of wild-type and mutant forms of the homeodomain protein Msx2". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 209 (1): 257–62. doi:10.1006/bbrc.1995.1497. PMID7726844.
Hodgkinson JE, Davidson CL, Beresford J, Sharpe PT (juli 1993). "Expression of a human homeobox-containing gene is regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 in bone cells". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Structure and Expression. 1174 (1): 11–6. doi:10.1016/0167-4781(93)90086-s. PMID8101453.
Jabs EW, Müller U, Li X, Ma L, Luo W, Haworth IS, Klisak I, Sparkes R, Warman ML, Mulliken JB (novembar 1993). "A mutation in the homeodomain of the human MSX2 gene in a family affected with autosomal dominant craniosynostosis". Cell. 75 (3): 443–50. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(93)90379-5. PMID8106171. S2CID13650758.
Quinn LM, Johnson BV, Nicholl J, Sutherland GR, Kalionis B (mart 1997). "Isolation and identification of homeobox genes from the human placenta including a novel member of the Distal-less family, DLX4". Gene. 187 (1): 55–61. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(96)00706-8. PMID9073066.
Stelnicki EJ, Kömüves LG, Holmes D, Clavin W, Harrison MR, Adzick NS, Largman C (oktobar 1997). "The human homeobox genes MSX-1, MSX-2, and MOX-1 are differentially expressed in the dermis and epidermis in fetal and adult skin". Differentiation; Research in Biological Diversity. 62 (1): 33–41. doi:10.1046/j.1432-0436.1997.6210033.x. PMID9373945.
Iimura T, Takeda K, Goseki M, Maruoka Y, Sasaki S, Oida S (1998). "Characterization of two length cDNA for human MSX-2 from dental pulp-derived cells". DNA Sequence. 8 (1–2): 87–92. doi:10.3109/10425179709020891. PMID9522127.
Newberry EP, Latifi T, Towler DA (august 1999). "The RRM domain of MINT, a novel Msx2 binding protein, recognizes and regulates the rat osteocalcin promoter". Biochemistry. 38 (33): 10678–90. doi:10.1021/bi990967j. PMID10451362.
Wilkie AO, Tang Z, Elanko N, Walsh S, Twigg SR, Hurst JA, Wall SA, Chrzanowska KH, Maxson RE (april 2000). "Functional haploinsufficiency of the human homeobox gene MSX2 causes defects in skull ossification". Nature Genetics. 24 (4): 387–90. doi:10.1038/74224. PMID10742103. S2CID21030594.
Quinn LM, Latham SE, Kalionis B (2000). "The homeobox genes MSX2 and MOX2 are candidates for regulating epithelial-mesenchymal cell interactions in the human placenta". Placenta. 21 Suppl A (Suppl A): S50-4. doi:10.1053/plac.1999.0514. PMID10831122.