Non-selective voltage-gated ion channel VDAC2

VDAC2 (voltage-dependent anion channel 2) is a non-selective voltage-gated ion channel that mediates transport of anions and cations across the mitochondrial outer membrane and plasma membrane (UniProt: P45880). The channel adopts conformation-dependent conductance states and binds lipids including ceramide, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol, with ceramide binding promoting mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization and apoptosis. VDAC2 also associates with the TOM complex and PINK1 kinase to facilitate mitophagy and catalyzes phospholipid scrambling across the outer mitochondrial membrane.

VDAC2 is implicated in mitochondrial function and cell death pathways relevant to neurodegeneration. The protein shows no annotated disease associations in UniProt.

In Alzheimer's Disease, VDAC2 demonstrates ambiguous regulation across subcellular fractions in post-mortem human brain tissue compared to age-matched controls (Chaparral AD proteomics). Analysis of a 4-fraction TMT-labeled proteomics experiment yielded a mean log2 fold-change of 0.47, indicating modest overall elevation, though directional changes were inconsistent across the P2, P3, S2, and S3 fractions examined.