The USP37 gene helps cells control when they grow and divide by removing small chemical tags from certain proteins. If it does not work properly, cells may lose some control over the cell cycle and DNA repair, which can raise the chance of abnormal cell growth. This gene plays an important role in keeping protein levels balanced as cells get ready to copy their DNA.
What is a gene?
Genes are stretches of DNA that give your cells instructions to make molecules or to regulate processes in the body. Some genes carry the information needed to produce proteins, the parts of cells that do much of the work. Others mainly help determine when certain processes happen, where they happen, and how strongly they run. Taken together, genes affect how the body develops and functions, and they can also shape how you respond to food, stress, or medications. For a deeper look at this topic, you can learn more in the LearnHub.
Overview
USP37Gene function
What if the gene works
The USP37 gene helps remove small protein tags from certain cell proteins so they are not broken down too soon. This supports normal cell cycle timing and DNA repair.
Risk
What if the gene does not work
Variants in the USP37 gene can range from mild to more severe and may reduce removal of ubiquitin tags, the cell’s protein disposal labels. This can change how long some proteins stay active and upset cell division.
Treatment
What does that mean for your treatment
At present, no treatment or drug choice is guided specifically by pathogenic or loss-of-function variants in the USP37 gene. The USP37 gene is being studied as a possible cancer biomarker and drug target, but this has not yet changed routine care.
Gene function
What if the gene works
Inside your cells, the USP37 gene helps manage how long certain proteins stay available. Its protein removes small tags that can mark proteins for breakdown. This helps important cell jobs move in a steady way, especially when cells prepare to copy DNA and divide. It offers a clear view of what the USP37 gene does in cells each day.
The protein made from the USP37 gene removes small tags from selected proteins. This helps the cell keep useful proteins long enough to do their jobs before they are cleared away.
Cells use the protein from the USP37 gene to steady proteins that help start DNA copying. This supports orderly growth and division when a cell is preparing to make a new copy of itself.
By keeping certain helper proteins available, the USP37 gene supports smooth DNA copying. That helps routine cell work stay coordinated before one cell becomes two.
What is a variant?
A genetic variant is a minor difference in the DNA sequence within a gene. These differences are common and help shape normal human diversity, including variations in appearance, metabolism, and the way the body responds to environmental influences. Many do not cause any noticeable effects and are simply part of natural genetic variation. At times, though, a variant changes how a gene works more significantly and can contribute to, or cause, a genetic condition.
Genetic variants
What if the gene does not work
How USP37 gene variants affect protein function depends on the change itself. Some variants slightly reduce the protein’s activity or weaken how well it binds other cell proteins, while more severe variants can make the protein unstable, unusually short, or unable to work at all. These changes may lead to partial or near-complete loss of function and can disturb tightly timed cell processes such as protein turnover and cell division.
How variants are linked to conditions
Variants in the USP37 gene do not yet have a broadly confirmed link to a specific health condition, though this can change as research develops. Current evidence on how variants in the USP37 gene are linked to conditions has not reached broad clinical agreement. If you carry a reported USP37 variant, your doctor or genetic counselor can explain what it may mean in the context of your personal and family history.
A variant is not necessarily a diagnosis
Genetic variants are a normal feature of human biology and are widespread in the general population. Most do not have a direct effect on health and instead represent part of natural human variation. For many genes, carrying a variant associated with a condition indicates a possible link rather than a definite diagnosis, especially when several genes and environmental factors contribute. In some situations, though, a single well-characterized variant in a specific gene is enough to confirm a diagnosis.
Are there things that can increase or change my risk?
There is not yet broadly confirmed evidence on specific factors that increase or reduce health risk related to the USP37 gene. Research is still early, and any effect of changes in USP37 may depend on the exact gene change and the condition being considered. Anyone worried about personal risk can talk with a doctor or genetic counselor.
Inheritance of USP37 variants
For families trying to understand how USP37 gene variants are inherited, there is not yet a broadly confirmed inheritance pattern tied to a specific USP37-related condition. Research on this gene is still developing, so inheritance details may become clearer over time. The USP37 gene is located on chromosome 2, which is an autosome. That means each person inherits two copies of the USP37 gene, one from each parent.
What does my USP37 result mean for my family?
There isn't yet a broadly confirmed inheritance pattern tied to a specific health condition for USP37, though this understanding can change as research develops. If you have a specific USP37 result and questions about what it could mean for your family, a doctor or genetic counselor can help explain it in the context of your personal and family history.
Genetic information
Genetic testing
How you find out about variants
To look for changes in the USP37 gene, labs usually use a blood or saliva sample for genetic testing for USP37 variants. The test reads the gene’s DNA code and checks for differences, often as part of a multigene panel or broader sequencing. Results may show a benign variant, a variant linked to a person’s health findings, or a variant of uncertain significance.
When should I consider getting a genetic test?
There is not yet a broadly established reason to test for changes in the USP37 gene as part of routine care. Testing decisions are usually based on your health history, symptoms, and family history, with guidance from a doctor or genetic counselor.
A genetic result is only one part of your health story
A genetic test result can provide meaningful insight, but what it tells you depends on the condition and the kind of variant involved. Over time, many factors, including lifestyle, environment, age, and medical history, influence how the body works. In some cases, a genetic result may offer a clear answer. For many conditions, especially those shaped by multiple genes, genetic information provides context rather than certainty and is best understood together with other aspects of care. In areas such as medication response, genetic results can also help put individual experiences into perspective.
Pharmacogenetics
How variants shape your response to medicine
Genetic variation can affect how your body responds to medicines. Small differences in genes can change how a drug is broken down, how much of it reaches its target, or how sensitive your body is to its effects. This helps explain why the same treatment works well for one person, works less well for another, or causes more side effects in someone else. These differences are common and are one part of why medication response can vary from person to person.
What is Pharmacogenetics?
Pharmacogenetics examines how genetic differences can affect the way a person responds to medications. It studies gene and drug patterns to better explain why the same treatment may work differently from one person to another. For many medicines, genes can influence both how strongly a drug works and how the body processes it. This information can support more informed and more individualized treatment decisions. More on this topic is available in the LearnHub.
Drugs influenced by the USP37 gene
When should I seek medical advice?
There is not yet a broadly confirmed role for this gene in guiding medicine choice or dose, so general questions about symptoms, side effects, or treatment changes are best discussed with your doctor. Early research on the USP37 gene is looking at how it may affect cancer cell response to some treatments, but this is not used in routine care.