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.

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.

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.

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. PMC 2176061. 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. hdl:1871.1/211c28d1-b391-4b6e-b3bf-7fc17fb0c4b5. PMC 9463269. 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. PMC 2176061. 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. hdl:1871.1/211c28d1-b391-4b6e-b3bf-7fc17fb0c4b5. PMC 9463269. Retrieved 11 August 2026.